The mission of Venture Academy is to equip students to achieve their highest potential through individual, flexible and structured educational experiences that enhance their academic growth and prepare them for lifelong learning and success.
8:00 AM: Senior breakfast served by your teachers. Other students do not need to come until 9:00. If they ride a bus, they will have to stay in the library until 9. No first period on Thursday. 9:00 AM: Graduation practice (Bring Cap gown tassels).
10:15 AM: Senior Picture with Cap & gowns on.
10:30 AM: Seniors released.
5:00 PM: Return to Venture to dress. Meet in library.
Bus/Parking Lot Duty: Meeks and Baker Monday 5/21:Non Work Day Tuesday 5/22: Kaiser out for the day Wednesday 5/23: Thursday 5/24 Friday 5/25 No School Bus/Parking Lot Duty: Smith and Gaynor Monday 5/28: Memorial Day Tuesday 5/29: Wednesday 5/30: Flieger/Gaynor/Kaiser at Restorative Practices training Thursday 5/31 Fri 6/1 Bus/Parking Lot Duty: All Hands on Deck - All around the building inside and out Monday 6/4: Non workday Tuesday 6/5: Wednesday 6/6: Thursday 6/7: 9:00 Senior Breakfast; 6:00 Graduation Friday 6/8: Last Day of School!!!! Monday 6/11: This is a certified work day. Tuesday 6/12: Summer and freedom. Unless you teach summer school. Or you're a counselor, school secretary, principal or hold a position that requires a summer work schedule. If you're one of those people, then this day holds no particular celebratory features. Remember this?:
I need your student surveys and student achievement data by Wednesday May 23 at the absolute latest. This is required by the SDE. I have no control over it and my only role is to ensure it gets turned in - which I can't do if you don't get it to me. Thanks!
Measurable student achievement: The measurement of student academic achievement or growth within a given interval of instruction for those students who have been enrolled in and attended 80% of the interval of instruction. Measurement will be chosen by supervisor with staff input using one or more of the assessments as checked below and provide summary of evidence.
_____a. Pre-post tests _____ j. Advanced placement exams
_____b. Idaho Standards achievement test _____k. Career Technical Exams
_____c. Student learning objectives
_____d. Formative assessments
_____e. Teacher-constructed assessment of student growth
_____f. Performance based assessments
_____g. IRI (Idaho reading indicators)
_____h. College entrance exams such as PSAT, SAT, or ACT
_____i. District adopted assessment(s); such as End-of-course exams (EOCs)
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Bus/Parking Lot Duty: Levy and Mahoney Monday 5/14: 7:00 Secondary Cross District Collaboration 8:30 - brief staff meeting;
9:00 Department meetings Tuesday 5/15: Wednesday 5/16: Wessler Training Thursday 5/17 Fri 5/18 Hang on.... Memorial Day weekend is coming. Bus/Parking Lot Duty: Meeks and Baker
Monday 5/21:Non Work Day Tuesday 5/22: Wednesday 5/23: Thursday 5/24 Friday 5/25
Finish Strong Venture offers 140 school days for students. Every day has to be a learning day. This is the most challenging time of the year. During this morning's walk about, I was so encouraged to see students involved in learning experiences that held their attention. Some were preparing to write campaign speeches for a Roman leader, some were beginning a WWII research and presentation project, others were completing a writing project and more. Thank you for everything you do to ensure every day is a learning day.
I heard some concerning news that students are being told that they don't have to come to school as long as their work is done. Additionally, some believe that if they can make up their missing work on Fridays, then it doesn't matter if they're gone.
Certainly, teenagers misconstrue what adults say. However, it is so important for them to be engaging in the type of classroom activities that make classroom attendance both desirable and essential to learning the material.
A few students have said that there is nothing for them to do in class, because they've finished everything. I can only assume that what the teacher actually said was woefully misinterpreted.
Let's all be mindful that teenagers listen carefully to find details to pull out of context and reconstrue into excuses to not attend school. If we want to deliver the message that school is important every day, all day, and on time, then let's all ensure that the daily activities require student attendance. If they fail because they missed out on important learning experiences by not coming to school, then that makes sense. If they get high grades and don't come to school, then what does that mean? Does our spoken message, school is important every day, all day, and on time, jive with the reality of what's happening in the classroom? If there is a discrepancy between what we say and what we do, then our focus needs to be on bringing those two things into alignment.
Bus/Parking Lot Duty: Higgs and Hook Monday 5/7: 8:00 staff meeting; 9:30 Department meetings Tuesday 5/8: Wednesday 5/9: Teacher/Staff Appreciation Day - Lunch Thursday 5/10 Friday 5/11 Bus/Parking Lot Duty: Levy and Mahoney Monday 5/14: 7:00 Secondary Cross District Collaboration 8:30 - brief staff meeting 9:30 Department meetings Tuesday 5/15: Wednesday 5/16: Thursday 5/17 Fri 5/18 Hang on.... Memorial Day weekend is coming. Teacher Appreciation Week
This week principals across the country are telling teachers (every staff member is a teacher at Venture) how much they appreciate them. I'll do the same, but I won't feel comfortable with it. I'll worry that the sentiment rings a little hollow in the ears of people who have spent the year swimming upstream in a current of apathy, anxiety, poverty, trauma, ignorance and hopelessness. For sure, I don't have the skills to adequately thank a teacher who purchased a classroom set of books out of her own pocket because the kids needed to learn how to manage life when it sucks; or designed a brand new class because kids need science to not be boring; or who created an entirely new way of teaching math because the kids' math knowledge spans first through tenth grade; or who attended multiple out-of-town trainings; or who accepted the challenge of teaching in ways that increase student voice and choice; or who agreed to teach kids whose social skills are hovering around zero on the SEL meter how to behave in acceptable ways?
I have no words to thank the person who had to be para, substitute,and test coordinator, or who refused to let a student be taken out of her kitchen even after his mistake left her seriously burned, or who spent the year finding articles and activities to help kids learn to manage their own melt downs, or cleaned up after endless episodes of flu-like symptoms, or upped their skill-set to teach COPE strategies, or worked to ensure the mobile clinic would visit Venture, or went far, far beyond law enforcement to help kids feel safe and supported, or who pushed kids to apply for and earn scholarships? What about the people who continually offer classroom-based options to keep kids moving forward - slowly, slowly forward? How can I thank people for all of that?
Does a staff lunch, eaten in thirty minutes while supervising teens and correcting classwork qualify as "appreciation?" Definitely not.
In response to all of your hard work, what you hear from me the most is, "let's learn more, let's figure out how we can be better." The most amazing thing is that your answer to that unreasonable request is a resounding, "yes, let's do it." How is it even possible that, in the face of daunting challenges, you maintain such fierce optimism for all these young people?
My capacity to demonstrate adequate appreciation is utterly lacking, but I will say it anyway. Thank you for recognizing the dignity, the beauty, and the infinite worth and potential of every Venture student.
Staff Appreciation Lunch
On Wednesday, we will have lunch by Q'Doba in Angie's room. Thanks for hosting us, Angie!
