BLOOMING GROVE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
ACADEMIC GUIDE
2015-2016
BLOOMING GROVE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
604 RAMSEY STREET
BLOOMING GROVE, TEXAS 76626
(903) 695-4201
www.bgisd.org
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Letter to Parents and Students
Policy Statement
Testing Information
BGJH Academic „Impact Statement‟
Class Subjects / Time Allotments
Extracurricular Activities (UIL Academics)
Special Programs
Cafeteria Services
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LETTER TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS:
Dear Parents and Students:
This Academic Guide is designed to communicate information
regarding the curriculum for the course of study students at Blooming
Grove Junior High School will receive at every grade level. It also
contains information regarding state-level and local assessments,
campus-wide academic initiatives, extracurricular activities and
accelerated instruction, including special programs. We hope this
information will be beneficial to you, but as always, if you have any
questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Doyle Bell, Principal
903-695-4201, Ext. 3209
POLICY STATEMENT:
Programs at Blooming Grove I.S.D. are designed to furnish equal educational
opportunities to all persons regardless of race, sex, mentally or physically
challenging condition, economic or academic background, or limited English
proficiency. Complaints may be filed with the district‟s Title IX Coordinator or the
504 Coordinator.
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TESTING INFORMATION:
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State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
o 6th / 7th / 8th Grades
o All Grades take Reading and Math
o 7th Grade also take Writing and 8th Grade take Science and
Social Studies
o 4 hour time limit for each test
o Student Success Initiative:
 6th, 7th and 8th Grade students must meet minimum
expectations on both the Reading and Math test to be
eligible for promotion to the next grade.
 Students that do not meet minimum expectations on
the first administration, will have two more opportunities
to take the test, once in May and the last time in June
after attendance at a mandatory summer STAAR
program
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests
o All grade levels, 6th through 8th Grade
o Reading Screening Test
 Administered 3 times each school year, beginning of
the year, middle of the year, and end of the year
 This test provides valuable information regarding
student‟s progress in reading, denoting any problem
areas that need to be addressed
 This test may be administered more often than the
three normal administrations to students that are
struggling with aspects of the curriculum to help
teachers diagnose problem areas that need to be
addressed
Special Programs Tests
o Special Education testing may be required for students
eligible for special programs and will only be conducted with
parental consent
o These tests may include testing for:
 Dyslexia
 Speech Therapy
 Occupational Therapy
 Physical Therapy
 Autism
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Learning Disabilities
BGJH Academic ‘Impact Statement’
The following „Impact Statement‟ for Blooming Grove Junior High School will be
the academic guide for the student in the junior high.
*The content taught will be carefully aligned with the appropriate TEKS
(Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) for the lesson being taught in the class.
*Organized Lesson Cycle
Objectives will be displayed for all to see and stated at the beginning
of each lesson and reviewed at the closing of the lesson.
As the lesson is taught, ninety percent or more of the students will be
successfully engaged in learning with a variety of teaching methods being utilized
by the teacher.
To ensure mastery of the TEKS, numerous appraisal techniques will
be utilized by the teacher.
Adjustments in the presentation of the lesson will be made according
to the individual students‟ needs.
Students will record daily class assignments to be prepared for the
next class period.
Feedback to the students / parents will be provided in a timely
manner.
*Classroom Management
Student conduct will vary depending on the instructional methods
provided by the teacher.
Respect for all individuals in the class is expected each day.
A successful learning environment will be achieved as these
procedures are implemented each day.
CLASS SUBJECTS / TIME ALLOTMENTS:
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English Language Arts / Reading (90 minutes per day):
o Reading—Glencoe
o English Grammar / Writing—Houghton Mifflin
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Mathematics (90 minutes per day):
o Pearson—Adoption 2014-2015
Science / Health (45 minutes per day):
o Science—Holt Rinehart Winston, Adoption 2014-2015
o Health—Holt Rinehart Winston, Adoption 2013-2014
Social Studies (45 minutes per day):
o Pearson—New Adoption 2015-2016
Fine Arts (45 minutes per day):
o Music—45 minutes per day; 6th, 7th, 8th JH Band members
 Band concerts will be scheduled for all grade levels
throughout the school year
Music Curriculum / Standards of Excellence Comprehensive
Band Method
o Art / Theater Arts—U.I.L. One Act Play competition
Career and Technology Courses
o Grades 6,7,8; 45 minutes per day
Physical Education (45 minutes daily)
o Fitness Gram Testing—3rd Through 12th Graders Annually in the
Spring (State Required Physical Fitness Testing)
Special Programs
o G/T Pull-Out Classes
o ESL Pull-Out Classes
o STAAR / Subject Area Tutorials
o UIL Academic Contest Preparation
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EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
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University Interscholastic League Academic Contest:
o One District Contest, Usually in December
o All students are encouraged to try out for one or more contest team
o Students must follow all UIL rules and regulations, including the “No
Pass / No Play” Rule
o All preparation for UIL contests will take place at school during the
school day or before or after school
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o Contests Include:
CONTEST
EDITORIAL WRITING
CHESS PUZZLE
MODERN ORATORY
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
MUSIC MEMORY
READY WRITING
SPELLING
ART CONTEST
NUMBER SENSE
ORAL READING
DICTIONARY SKILLS
LISTENING SKILLS
MAPS, GRAPHS, &
CHARTS
SOCIAL STUDIES
ONE ACT PLAY
CALCULATOR
APPILCATIONS
MATHEMATICS
SCIENCE I,II
GRADES
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ATHLETIC, UNIVERSTIY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE
PARTICIPATION AT THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL
Athletic competition in football, basketball, track and field start in the
7th Grade at the junior high school level and continue into the 8th grade.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS:
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In addition to the accelerated instruction program, Blooming Grove Junior High
conducts several special programs funded by local, state and federal sources.
These programs include Special Education, English as a Second Language,
Migrant, Gifted and Talented, Dyslexia, 504 and Response to Intervention.
Special Education, authorized by the national Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) seeks to serve and provide a free and appropriate education
for students that have disabilities that would otherwise interfere with their
education. Students with learning disabilities, speech impairments, visual and
hearing impairments, and physical impairments are served through this program.
Students from 3 years of age through 21 years of age, in certain situations, can be
served in this program. Students qualify for this program after an evaluation is
conducted to determine the disability and eligibility for the program. Services
offered through program include, but are not limited to: resource instruction,
occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, hearing impaired
services, visual impaired services and autistic services. In addition, Section 504 of
IDEA provides for services for students that do not “qualify” for special education,
but have “conditions” that interfere with their education. There are services
through the Accelerated Instruction, Dyslexia, GT, etc…that are indicated for these
students. Modification and accommodations of the curriculum and instructional
arrangements are used to serve these students.
English as a Second Language (ESL) services are provided for students who are
not proficient in the English language. These services are provided by teachers
who are certified in English as a Second Language, in content based programs in
the primary grades and in pull-out programs in the intermediate grades through the
high school grades. Students in this program receive instruction and services to
improve their proficiency in the English language. Annual testing with the Texas
English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is conducted and
student progress is determined with this as well as the other academic progress
tests that all students take. The goal of this program is to see that students “exit”
the program when testing shows, and continues to show, proficiency with the
English language.
The Migrant program seeks to provide services for students who move from one
school district to another as a requirement of their parents employment. These
services are available through our Regional Service Center, Region 12 in Waco.
Services are intended to help students keep up with the curriculum at their current
grade level that may be “missed” due to moving from one school to another.
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The Gifted and Talented (GT) program is designed to provide services for students
that qualify for the program through testing to determine areas of “gifted”
characteristics. Eligible students participate in pull-out classes two times per week
that allow them to participate in activities designed to allow them to explore and
use their abilities in unique and individualized ways.
The Dyslexia program is designed to provide reading instruction, through specific
and effective instructional arrangements for those students diagnosed with
Dyslexia. The Title 1 Interventionist is trained to provide this instruction for those
students with state-approved instructional methods and systems.
These special programs are all indicated for students after a Response to
Intervention (RTI) has been conducted for the students. RTI seeks to provide
interventions for students first in the regular classroom with differentiated
instruction and interventions by his/her teacher. If the student continues to
struggle, he/she may be pulled-out for small group or individual tutorial help. If the
student continues to struggle and the interventions are not effective, then the
student is referred for evaluation to determine if he/she is eligible for and needs
service through any of the special programs described here.
SPECIAL PROGRAM NOTES:
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Information regarding special programs can be found in more detail in the
program handbooks for each special program. These handbooks can be
found online and in the principal‟s office on each campus.
Please do not hesitate to contact the principal or your child‟s teacher if you
have any questions or concerns regarding the programs available for
students at Blooming Grove Junior High School.
CAFETERIA SERVICES:
Blooming Grove Junior High serves breakfast and lunch to students
and staff daily. The services in the cafeteria are provided under the
regulations and policies of both the United States Department of
Agriculture and the Texas Department of Agriculture. The guidelines
and regulations do not allow for food of any type to be “brought” into
the cafeteria for distribution to anyone other than your child or
grandchild. Only parents and grandparents of students can bring or
send lunches for their child or grandchild. Pizza parties, Happy Meal
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parties and the like are not allowed by state and/or federal regulations.
The agencies do allow, however, for students to “celebrate” birthdays
in the classroom with a cake, or cupcakes, after their class‟ designated
lunch time in their homeroom class. All cakes and/or cupcakes for this
purpose must be brought to the campus office and kept there until
after lunch and the teacher is ready for the “celebration” to take place.
Blooming Grove I.S.D. participates in the National School Lunch
Program that provides free and reduced price meals to eligible
students. Applications for households that wish to apply for these
services will be sent home with every student on the first day of school
or parents can pick one up in any campus office.
We hope this guide has been helpful and facilitates effective communication
with parents and students. As always, please do not hesitate to contact the
principal if you have questions or concerns.
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