ASFMS 2008 Accomplishments Walking the Talk Together

ASFMS 2008 Accomplishments Walking the Talk Together

One of the Largest Middle School in the State of RI 1, 300+ Students 6 th – 8 th! “High Performing” Too!!!

Teacher Evaluations: • Never mind that our small administrative staff evaluated such a large staff, an accomplishment in itself, but… Teacher performance was aligned to the Goals of the School Improvement Team! Way to go EVERYONE!!!

The Bus Duty Squad Survived! Thanks to…Kim Sturdahl, Keri Potvin, Kevin Seekell, Tim Vesey, Rekha Sara, Diane Kowal, Rachel Houlihan, Cate Wallace, Judy Coutu, and Janet Bliss all ASFMS students have arrived and departed school safely, some with breakfast in their tummies and bruises on their faces and knees.

6 th Grade Joined Us!!! Our school is a much better place with you here!

Cohesive School-wide Literacy Block Keep up the Reading!!! 3/18/2018 6

Accomplishments of the Literacy Action Team Mary Lou Bettez, Sandy Clunan, Cynthia Ballard, Tao Albrecht, Bob Jordan, Susan Murphy, Shawn Henderson, and Tracey Whitehead

Literacy Walks - Staff Participates • • Jackie Ricci Augusto Gomes Kevin Seekell Tim Vesey Stacey Sousa Keri Potvin Paula Mercurio Kristine Pinto • • • Liz Tattrie Anthony Ferro Kathy Tefft Tony Costa Constance Tundis Linda Grandchamp Patricia Lindley Wendy Bettez Nikki Pekrul

Literacy Team Accomplishments • Development of Literacy Action Plans 07 -08 and 08 -09 • Writing of Professional Development Plans for 07 -08 and 08 -09 • Participation in Literacy Walk Self-Study Process • Collaboration in writing 4 Literacy Walk Reports • Facilitation of professional development at faculty meetings • Organization / facilitation of April 8 th PD Day

Thank You • We cannot thank the faculty enough for their willingness to open their classrooms and craft to the Literacy Walk Process. Many teachers have stepped forward to participate in the work. They have individually and collectively reflected upon best practice in hopes of helping ASFMS move from “GOOD TO GREAT”.

Paula Mercurio and Cynthia Ballard Thank you for opening your classrooms to be videotaped for staff analysis and critique.

Personalization Action Team “Academic success and personal growth increase markedly when young adolescents’ affective needs are met. ” NMSA (2003)

Personalization Accomplishments • Development of Action Plans 07 -08 and 08 -09 • Writing of Professional Development Plans 07 -08 and 08 -09 • Alignment of potential goals with ASFMS Mission Statement • Creation of a survey/needs assessment • Sharing of the data with staff

Accomplishments (continued) • Facilitation of a faculty meeting • Led staff in a card sort activity to determine goals of advisory • Analysis of staff feedback to determine priority areas. Advocacy, Community, and Skills • Creation of Plan for Summer Work • Organization of Advisory Committee • Committed to planning PD day in Fall of 08

Personalization Action Team Members • • • Judy Almy-Coutu Jen Asay Charlie Blanchette Meg Bernardi Cheryl Fram Paula Mercurio Abby Paon Rekha Saran Tracey Whitehead

Numeracy Action Team Kevin Seekell Roger Desaulniers Cara Banspach Jen Labrie Anthony Ferro Jessica Capaldi

Numeracy Action Team Accomplishments • Numeracy Action Plan • Numeracy PD Plans • Math skills – games and activities program

Family Action Team Courtney Chauvette Gina Gateman Rebecca Horton Michael Almeida Ted Mitchell Tim Vesey Jackie Ricci

Family Action Team Accomplishments • Established ASFMS Family Engagement Policy • Developed list of effective means of school -home communication • RIPIN Professional Development • Assessed School-wide Communication – National PTA Schools of Excellence Criteria

ULSS Accomplishments: • • RTI State Alignment Circles Program URI Collaboration

ULSS Accomplishments Continued: • Designed program to identify students with attentional and organizational issues (Fall Pilot Program) • Teacher Assistant Professional Development Programs • Collaboration with Family Enrichment Program. • Increased integrative occupational and language services in self-contained classes

Alternate Assessments • Training and completion • Laurie Masterson, Kelly Kramer, Kim Vernava, and Kathy Mouradjian • Yeah!

Laurie Masterson…need we say more? But, if you need to know: ü A student who couldn’t walk in elementary school now can do so with the aid of a walker! ü Another student who couldn’t read can now do so…reading 200 or more words without error!

Kelly Kramer Is still alive and made it through the year!!!

Gina Gateman-ULSS Coordinator For taking on the world of lawyers, advocates, and more and coming out on top…way to go Gina!

UDL Study Participants • Cara Banspach and Jen Kilduff • Annie Printer and Sue Smith • Jackie Ricci and Emily Muzzy UDL strategies guarantee ALL students access and opportunity to rigorous instruction.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Study Teams of teachers from ASFMS were recruited to participate in a statewide study sponsored by RIC and RIDE.

Accomplishments of UDL Teams • Participation in professional development and training in January 2008 • Collaboration to design units of study, lessons, and tasks around UDL principles • Videotaped lessons (Cara and Jen)

Feinstein After School Academy 6 Week Programs Fall 07 Spring 08 100 students in each

Connections Program With a staff of 12 volunteers from the senior class of CHS, the school social worker, school psychologist, and intern conducted the program involving 8 ASFMS students in group counseling and team-building activities out of Project Adventure

N. Y. P. U. M Positive Reinforcement at Work! Thank you Mr. Ferro, Dr. Turchetta, & Jen Cole

Peer Mediation Students helping other peers resolve disputes. Program Coordinators: Meg Bernardi, Shawn Henderson, and Sue Davis

S. T. E. P. • • • Parenting training Career classes for students Study skills for students Nice job Sue Davis, Dr. Lou, Felix Sarubbi, Nikki Pekrul, Abby Paon, Trish Dorchies, Kim Vernava, and more…

GYMhappy Program A coalition of support staff, self-contained, resource, and team teachers created GYMhappy: 8 th grade student model/mentors with selfcontained, intensive resource, and other students from grades 6 and 7. Activities included basketball, football, soccer, kickball, and dodgeball. THANK YOU FELIX!

Baseball CONGRATULATIONS! Division Champions Three Years in a Row!!! Thanks to Coach Howman!

Wrestling Team CONGRATULATIONS! Division Champions State Runner-up Nice job Tim!

Boys’ Basketball Team CONGRATULATIONS! Division Champions Final Four Way to go Dennis!

School Newspaper Linda Middleton and the Panther Team published, The Panther Print.

Students Against Vandalism Everywhere (S. A. V. E. ) Ø Mr. Blanchette - Advisor of the Year Ø SAVE - Website of the Year Ø ASFMS SAVE Program - Middle School of the Year (by Youth Crime Watch of America)

SAVE Group Goes to Miami

SAVE Cleans Up ASFMS Pride of Place: SAVE is planting a garden in the front of our school.

NJHS A tremendous amount of work organizing the recognition honor roll achievement and citizenship. Cate Wallace and Kathy Tefft

The Robotics Club Wins Awards üFirst Lego League: 1 st Place, Creative Presentation Award üTSA: 3 rd place in Web Page Design, 3 rd place in the Robotics Competition üRobotics Park: Most Likely to be patented award, Innovative Design Award

ASFMS Yearbook Thank You: Maria Boulmetis

Student Council Advisors A wonderful job promoting student government, school spirit, and community service. Jen Pietros, Kim Vernava, Anne Marie Printer, and Brian Skalski

Portfolio Breakfasts & Student Led Conferences Family engagement increased this year! 3/18/2018 46

Mustang Team’s Recycling Program Making our school green! 3/18/2018 47

Mustang Team Charity The Mustangs raised $750 for the families and children of RI And. . $2, 085 to the Fogarty Fund! 3/18/2018 48

Penny Wars for Adopt-a-Family The Evolution and Velocity Team raised hundreds of dollars for Adopt-a-Family charity.

Faculty Donates to Making Strides As a faculty we raised approximately $4, 000 for the Making Strides In Breast Cancer Walk. This is the 5 th year Mrs. Norris-Karten has taken charge of this fundraiser, each year raising more than the previous year.

Student Council Raised Money • • Make-a-Wish Special Olympics Pennies for Leukemia Organized a Food Drive

Family Fundraisers • • Evolution Team @ Charlie’s Panthers Team @ Applebee’s Blizzard Team @ Applebee’s Fusion Team @ Pizzeria Uno

The Ben Karten Scholarship Our Faculty Donated $1, 900 to the Ben Karten Scholarship Fund! – Thanks from VNK (We’ll miss you, Vicki!)

Cate Wallace got ENGAGED!!! The Wedding Bells will Ring in February! 3/18/2018 54

New Moms and Dads • • • Rachel Houlihan Jen Lawrence Jen Graham Lolita Alves Maria Dunphy Justin Howman

Tying the Knot Rebecca Horton and Shawn Henderson are getting married this Summer!!!

Kim Sturdahl ABOVE AND BEYOND! ENOUGH SAID

Principal Coffee Hour Dr. Almeida had coffee with many parents and people in the community, giving tours, and walking the talk with them!

New School Website!

School Website/Pages • Webmaster-Ted Mitchell • Great job teams, departments, and individual teachers! • Thanks for keeping the school community informed.

FMS and You Listserve Thank You Mary Lou for Lou maintaining this ALL YEAR!!!

Evolution Team Teachers Attended a Team Building Conference at Jenks Middle School

Exchange City - 7 th Grade Thanks to the PTSA and fundraising by Exchange City, most of our 7 th graders are participating in this economic role-play.

New Class: Media Skills Mrs. Horlborgen teaches students web design, presentation software, and more…

Our Successful Media Center • Media Center Visits- 10, 921 individual visits • Circulation Statistics- 13, 749 books checked out • Book Collection- 3, 880 books were added to the collection • New Equipment – 5 multimedia projectors and 5 laptops – 4 carts for the new equipment – 4 computers and workstations for online catalog searching

Best Buy Grant Authored by Ted Mitchell, edited by the Educational Jargon Expert, Tracey Whitehead $10, 000 Grant = 5 Laptops/Projectors on carts Digital Cameras, and other electronic goodies for us.

Social Studies Thematic Curriculum • Created Grade-Span Essential Questions (6 th – 8 th Grade) • Created Common Assessments • Created an online curriculum database of lesson and teacher resources

Thanks to the Social Studies Department Team An incredible amount of work and collective insight! Thank You: Paula Mercurio, Anne Marie Printer, Jo-Ann Silva, Bob Jordan, Courtney Chauvette, Charlie Blanchette, Mike Bettez, Lou Turchetta, Judy Almy-Coutu, Gail Deware, Louise Martella, Tao Albrecht, Justin Howman, and Ted Mitchell

Civil War Re-enactors (6 th Grade) Special thanks to Jo. Ann Silva and Anne Marie Printer for orchestrating the whole thing!

Unified Arts • A collective voice in our school • Building leadership capacity within the group • Creating short and long-term goals • Respecting each-other's programs and how we contribute to our school and community.

Analysis of NECAP Data • Special thanks to our data geeks…Mary Lou Bettez and Kevin Seekell! • Thank you to all teams for their work analyzing NECAP data!

National Board Certification Congratulations Ted Mitchell!

ADMINISTRATIVE HELP FRED ANDERSON THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Jen Cole School Psychologist Intern • • Family Enrichment Program Circles Program NYPUM Program District Strategic Planning Comm. RTI ADHD Study Behavior Management Programs AND MUCH MORE… A TRUE ASSET TO US ALL!

Long Term Substitutes • • Shannon Fay Jen Lemieux Scott Tennet Jen Xynellis

Teacher Mentors • Susan Murphy • Laurie Masterson • Ted Mitchell

Showcase • Kristen St. Sauveur - Great job! • Thanks to Brian Skalski and staff who assisted at the performances.

Friday Morning Meeting Team Kim Sturdahl, Dr. Lou Turchetta, Felix Sarubbi, Linda Darcy, Sue Davis, Jen Cole, Trish Dorchies, Cheryl Fram, Sara Cronin, Gina Gateman, Officer Burlingame, Fred Anderson, Gus Gomes, Mike Almeida, and Tracey Whitehead

Music Concerts • 6 successful shows • Thanks Kristen, Dan, and Tony • Job well done!

Music Department • Added a third teacher to our department. • Integrated recording technology into the classroom for individual assessments and ensemble rehearsals. • Created a keyboard lab and utilized a guitar curriculum for our students. • Had 57 students march in the Memorial day parade in Coventry. • Placed students from chorus and band in All-State

Student/Teacher Support Team Many thanks for their hours of work helping their colleagues plan interventions to better meet the needs of diverse learners. Kim Vernava, Annie Printer, Jen Lawrence, Helene Scola, Cheryl Fram, Dr. Lou Turchetta, Rachel Houlihan, Kerri Powell, Linda Grandchamp, Tracey Whitehead, and Gus Gomes.

Report Card Committee Revision of progress report, report card, Honor Roll Criteria, and NJHS Criteria. Thank you for all your hard work! • Sandy Clunan, Mike Bettez, Jen Pietros, Kathy Tefft, Trish Dorchies, Cate Wallace, Ted Mitchell, Kevin Seekell, Tony Costa, Jason Martin, Mary Lou Bettez, Keri Potvin, Mike Almeida, and Tracey Whitehead

Curriculum Coordinators Kevin Seekell Mary Lou Bettez Ted Mitchell Gina Gateman Abby Paon Tony Costa! Outstanding Job!

Vanna Donoyan Congratulations on getting your doctoral dissertation proposal accepted! Good Luck!

Building Representatives Mike Bettez and Sandy Clunan… Thank you for a successful year advocating for faculty!

Courtney Chauvette Achieved tenure! Congratulations! (Still waiting to be recalled!)

Liz Clafin Chaired and organized the PTSA Reflection Program. Thank you!

Teacher Assistant Training • • • Kevin Cleveland Stacey Sousa Gina Gateman Tina Kanaczet Jennifer Cole

ASFMS Teacher of the Year Cynthia Ballard! Congratulations!

Retiring Teachers • • • Best Wishes in your new adventures… Gail Deware Vicky Norris-Karten Karen Mc. Intosh Linda Darcy Carolyn Colaluca

Growth as a PLC • • • Establishment of… Student Expectations Teacher Expectations Administrator Expectations PLC Norms