Standard 5: Learning Environment
All students should be welcome and feel safe in our schools. It is critical that we provide every opportunity for learning about our different lives and goals. I listen to my surrounding community and provide learning opportunities that are of interest to both student and parent. When I first arrived at my school, there was a very limited number of students who were able to learn Spanish. We offered five classes of Spanish. It was important to provide an opportunity to create a school that would transition a student from beginning Spanish in Elementary to becoming fluent in Spanish in high school. There was a hole in my district’s progressive curriculum. I provided evidence to my Principal concerning the need and through our addition of providing Spanish to our 6th graders we have increased our student population. We now have three Spanish teachers teaching 14 classes of Spanish. Our growth has included our ability to offering high school Spanish 2 to our eighth graders. While this is an example of a project analysis, it is also an example of listening to your community culture and providing learning opportunities that are needed and wanted.
Safety is a major concern to our school and all who step foot on campus. The need for safety drills is essential, so that we can prepare for a true emergency. As the safety administrator on a hurricane shelter campus, I must align the drills, go through building inspections and safety audits to provide a safe learning environment for not only my school but my medically impaired community. Twice a year, I meet with the Red Cross and district emergency personnel to secure the safety of the school building, in preparation for a weather emergency. I prepare for audits by the Sheriff’s Department to review the emergency box and for any unforeseen emergency.
It is important to recognize the diversities of all students on our campus. Often cultural events can be included within the learning projects on campus. In one school year we have hosted a play on a Quinceanera, a Spanish luncheon, Black History Month, Veteran’s Day, Woman Suffrage project, Community Hunger Drive and other cultural projects. We provide support for our Hispanic families by visiting our migrant camp and providing material in Spanish and interpreters for meetings and phone calls. We provide scholarships for students to attend trips, have school supplies and class computers, doctor and dentist visits, to meet as many essential needs as possible, to secure a student’s success. We understand the roadblocks to learning and provide morning tutoring with bus transportation and breakfast to assist students who otherwise may not have the support from home to complete their homework. No student should ever go hungry, or be afraid of their home environment, or have improper clothing or lack supplies for attend school. We provide many services to our students so that they can concentrate on learning. We also honor our Veterans at either a 911 event or on Veteran's Day. It is important that students understand the important gifts our veterans' give to their country; some the gift of their life. Recently, one of our visiting Veterans heard that we were seeking scholarships for an end of year reward trip. His daughter contacted me and he supported two students on their first trip to the Magic Kingdom.
If we truly believe that all students can learn, it is important to provide the tools needed for learning success and be sensitive to those needs. These outreach opportunities often have exponential return.
SUPPORTING ARTIFACTS:
All students should be welcome and feel safe in our schools. It is critical that we provide every opportunity for learning about our different lives and goals. I listen to my surrounding community and provide learning opportunities that are of interest to both student and parent. When I first arrived at my school, there was a very limited number of students who were able to learn Spanish. We offered five classes of Spanish. It was important to provide an opportunity to create a school that would transition a student from beginning Spanish in Elementary to becoming fluent in Spanish in high school. There was a hole in my district’s progressive curriculum. I provided evidence to my Principal concerning the need and through our addition of providing Spanish to our 6th graders we have increased our student population. We now have three Spanish teachers teaching 14 classes of Spanish. Our growth has included our ability to offering high school Spanish 2 to our eighth graders. While this is an example of a project analysis, it is also an example of listening to your community culture and providing learning opportunities that are needed and wanted.
Safety is a major concern to our school and all who step foot on campus. The need for safety drills is essential, so that we can prepare for a true emergency. As the safety administrator on a hurricane shelter campus, I must align the drills, go through building inspections and safety audits to provide a safe learning environment for not only my school but my medically impaired community. Twice a year, I meet with the Red Cross and district emergency personnel to secure the safety of the school building, in preparation for a weather emergency. I prepare for audits by the Sheriff’s Department to review the emergency box and for any unforeseen emergency.
It is important to recognize the diversities of all students on our campus. Often cultural events can be included within the learning projects on campus. In one school year we have hosted a play on a Quinceanera, a Spanish luncheon, Black History Month, Veteran’s Day, Woman Suffrage project, Community Hunger Drive and other cultural projects. We provide support for our Hispanic families by visiting our migrant camp and providing material in Spanish and interpreters for meetings and phone calls. We provide scholarships for students to attend trips, have school supplies and class computers, doctor and dentist visits, to meet as many essential needs as possible, to secure a student’s success. We understand the roadblocks to learning and provide morning tutoring with bus transportation and breakfast to assist students who otherwise may not have the support from home to complete their homework. No student should ever go hungry, or be afraid of their home environment, or have improper clothing or lack supplies for attend school. We provide many services to our students so that they can concentrate on learning. We also honor our Veterans at either a 911 event or on Veteran's Day. It is important that students understand the important gifts our veterans' give to their country; some the gift of their life. Recently, one of our visiting Veterans heard that we were seeking scholarships for an end of year reward trip. His daughter contacted me and he supported two students on their first trip to the Magic Kingdom.
If we truly believe that all students can learn, it is important to provide the tools needed for learning success and be sensitive to those needs. These outreach opportunities often have exponential return.
SUPPORTING ARTIFACTS:
Student Choice Meetings Opportunities (connect- ed email - message): School population - By listening to your parents, students and community, you can grow your school choice population by offering programs and curriculum that draws students to your school. Nolan has grown in population due to the offering of gifted, Spanish and technology (eSTEAM) as well as challenging core courses that gain dual credit. I have created a generic email message format to send along with a connect - ed message to interested parents who may wish to choice their student into Nolan. The attached artifact would also include a connect - ed message. Through information resources, such as the attached, one can change a struggling school into a school that is thriving. Marketing a school is important for student and parent information purposes.
| nolan_middle_school_choice_information.doc |
Portable Relocation Schedule: The safety of our schools is essential. All stakeholders must feel that students are safe in the building at all times. The attached artifact is a schedule I frequently send out to assign new classrooms to teachers who must come into the building due to inclement weather. Florida has torrential thunderstorms and is often labeled the lightning capital of the World. We must also worry about tornadoes and hurricanes. As the safety administrator on campus, it is my job to assure the safety of all on my campus.
| rain_schedule_for_portables.docx |
Safety Drill Schedule: The artifact below is a copy of the drill schedule I must complete, activate and assess. Having a safety drill is important to practice for systems to be understood and followed during an actual emergency. These practices can make the difference between life and death when they are real.
| drill_schedule.docx |
Sample of Drill information on steps for appropriate procedures: I have included a secondary route direction, for teachers get very use to evacuating by the primary route. At least twice a year we are to offer a secondary route drill in case the primary route is unavailable. I have my front desk aide print out these directions for all substitutes. I also check for posting of evacuation maps in each classroom and I create evacuation maps for portables and other areas that may not have a specific map. I monitor all spaces for accurate participation and I report issues to the district that may have need of repair.
| secondary_exit_fire_drill_procedures.doc |
Veteran Recognition: It is important to recognize diversity and honor our differences. We have many multicultural events to teach our students about the important differences that make this country so unique and great. To be a true global student, we must teach them the important differences between cultures and to respect those differences.The artifact below is an email-flyer inviting our local Veteran's to a luncheon in their honor. Students' invite their Veteran family members and socialize with our honored guests during lunch. In 2013 the Veteran motorcycle club visited us and showed our students their motorcycles and talked about giving poppies to wear and about delivering flags and toys during different community service outreach activities.
| veteran_hero_luncheon_electronic_invitation.docx |