The Broncos and Lady Broncos are as busy as can be as we come to the end of January and into February. We have the second half of district basketball, UIL meets, powerlifting, stock shows, as well as one-act play and track meets coming up. As our students are out there making us proud, please remember to do all you can to help them stay current in their academics. We need them in school as much as possible and maximizing their instructional time is so important. The best thing about small schools is that our kids get to participate in many activities, and they also learn the value of time management and being responsible. Have a great day!!
~Bric Turner
Superintendent
It feels like we returned from Christmas break just a few weeks ago. I am proud of the growth and progress that each one of my students has achieved so far this year. In Economics we are talking about personal finances and ways for the seniors to excel after high school. In US History we are wrapping up WWII and about to move on to the Cold War Era. Seniors are learning about stocks and how to properly invest! Basketball has been great, thank you to everyone for the continuous support of our boys/ girls! I hope everyone is having a great year so far.
~Jonathan Alaniz
JH English
Reading
We have begun with our Informational Text Unit. Each class is reading a specific article a week that is geared towards a specific standard. The articles are over a variety of topics from germs in the bathroom to experimentation. Main idea, summary, and connections have already been covered. Text structures and claims are coming. After informational text, we will do persuasion and then STAAR practice. The JH reading STAAR is April 9.
Writing
We have begun revision. Each student has written two essays that are going through the process of being revised. We have written informational text essays and will switch gears to argumentative essays in the coming days. Then the students will be looking at revision STAAR practice and how to write the STAAR essay.
I appreciate being your child's teacher and look forward to seeing what they can accomplish with the rest of the school year.
~Cassie Britt
GRIT: What does the word mean to you? It’s been a buzz word in education for a few years now. The first thing I always think about is the West Texas dirt. Maybe that’s not what you expected. But stay with me for a second. If you have lived here long enough to experience a windy day you know what I mean. The moment you walk out on one of those dry windy days the dirt is in our eyes, your ears, your hair, and your teeth even if you swear you didn’t open your mouth. It’s nitty gritty and gets in all the small cracks of your life. Better make sure your doors are sealed shut and that you don’t accidentally leave a window cracked on the car or you’ll be cleaning endlessly. That dirt can be stubborn to get rid of. Just when you think you have got it all you run a hand through your hair and nope there are those granules clinging to your scalp. This gives me a great picture of what Grit looks like to me. We don’t always get to choose our environment, or our circumstances but with grit we can make an impact, we can hang on, stick to it, and get through the windy times.
Ok I’m a math teacher so let’s take it step further and consider the impact of grit in the classroom. I realize each year more students dislike math than enjoy it. They come to me with perceptions of their abilities, often they dread my class. My expectations are high and that can seem daunting as well. I love what I do, I love my students, and I love my subject matter. I know my subject matter inside and out, but no matter how much I now or how much I teach with passion I cannot make a student learn. I can present the opportunity and often multiple opportunities and strategies but in the end what a student takes away from my math classes isn’t up to me. So much of what they carry forward is determined by each student. They don’t get to decide what classroom they are in usually; they don’t get to decide what we learn, that’s dictated by the state but they do get to decide how they approach hard content. What do they do when things get tough. When the wind blows hard and they feel like getting knocked to the ground how do they respond. Or perhaps they have failed at a math lesson then what? Do they give up, complain about how hard it is, make excuses for their failure, blame others, maybe just reside themselves that math isn’t their thing? Or perhaps they decide that hard things are worth it, that no matter how great a force is outside of them that they are capable of hanging in there and working hard. Getting into the fine cracks of the math lesson until it begins to make sense.
The funny thing about sticking with something that is hard is that after you find a little success, typically the next time around its not near as hard. I know many of us are in the battle of the spring semester, time is limited, patience at home is low, teenage attitude roars its ugly head at every corner but, I encourage you to help your children find their grit. The persistence to push through until the end. The ability to do hard things and be proud of the outcome. No excuses allowed. For some it will be easier to reach the finish line than it will be for others, but for all it will be worth it to get there, and to get there without a lowered bar, without a lesser goal. Be determined to help hold your child accountable to the bar that has been set to be elite. To be elite in each classroom, in each extra-curricular activity, and in each personal endeavor.
Help your child to believe in their education and its importance. Help them to find more ways to learn if the current ways aren’t working. Help them put in place organization strategies for success; help them set aside time to make them self better to reach those goals, to complete homework. Help them go to tutorials, ask for help, and just keep on going. Research has shown that grit is a bigger predictor in long term success than talent and/or intelligence level. If you want to help you child be elite in life, help them to realize they can do hard things, and those things are worth doing.
~Amber Caswell
FCCLA: January has been a busy month as we prepare our projects for our region competition coming up in March. In February, we have several projects being finished including the mental health summit, the all-girls lock-in, a family communication and game night, and a presentation about sexual assault and entering careers in human services and social work. It is going to be a busy month, but we are excited about all the opportunities coming up for our members! We will have STAR event practice days on February 24th and March 3rd. Lunch will be provided and students can stay as long as they need on these two days to work on their projects.
~Savannah Rance
6th Grade: Students have learned about differentiating types of energy. We learned about the difference between potential and kinetic energies. We learned about 3 types of potential energy which included gravitational potential energy (GPE), elastic and chemical energy. We are currently learning about energy transformations in systems. We are identifying and predicting what forms of energy are occurring within a system.
7th Grade: Students recently finished our unit over Forces, Motion and Energy. We learned about temperature and kinetic energy. Students also learned that when there is an increase in temperature, there is also an increase in kinetic energy. Also students learned that objects can reach thermal equilibrium. This occurs when heat moves from a warmer substance to a cooler substance. We are currently in our Earth and Space Unit learning about different objects in space.
8th Grade: We have wrapped up our unit over plate boundaries and the different types of evidence that support changes over time. We have recently began our Earth and Space Unit. Students are identifying and predicting the different stages of a star within it’s life cycle. We are also learning how to read HR diagrams to identifying a star’s temperature and luminosity.
Biology: In Biology, students have wrapped up our unit over DNA replication. Within this unit we learned about how scientists discovered DNA was the genetic material being passed down. Students also are able to differentiate the structure of DNA and RNA. We are currently learning about protein synthesis and mutations.
Forensics: In Forensics we covered forensic odontology, which is the application of dental science to identify remains and bite marks. Students learned about the numbering system used to identify specific adult teeth. They also learned about individual characteristics such as dental work, shape of teeth, placement of teeth, etc. Our current unit we are learning about is over ballistics. Students are learning about the different types of firearms, how to identify a firearm used based on the cartridge, and how gunshot residue (GSR) shows contact between victim and suspect.
National Honor Society: NHS surveys will be sent out to students later in February that meet the following requirements:
be a current 10th or 11th grade student for the 24-25 academic school year
Have a 90.0 accumulative grade point average or higher
Note: Students who are given an application can opt out if they would like. However, I do hope they consider applying. More information about NHS Surveys will be given out at a later date.
~Judith Retana
Freshmen: Exploring "Romeo and Juliet"
My freshmen are diving into the timeless tragedy of "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare. Students are exploring themes of love, fate, and conflict through engaging class discussions and creative projects. Parents, be sure to ask your students about their favorite scenes and characters!
Sophomores: Outsiders and Outcasts
Sophomores are currently studying a unit on outsiders and outcasts, complemented by a selection of poignant poetry. This unit encourages students to reflect on themes of identity, belonging, and societal norms. Look out for their upcoming poetry anthology, which will showcase their own creative expressions on these themes.
Juniors: The Works of Langston Hughes
Juniors are immersing themselves in the powerful and evocative poetry of Langston Hughes. Through his works, students are gaining insights into the Harlem Renaissance and the African American experience. They are also working on analytical essays to deepen their understanding of Hughes' impact on literature and culture.
Seniors: Preparing for the Future
Our seniors are in the final stages of their high school journey. They are busy applying for scholarships and making their final decisions about their plans for fall 2025. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to all seniors on their achievements and best wishes for their future endeavors!
---
Thank you for your continued support of our English Department. We look forward to another month of learning and growth!
---
Contact Information:
· Ms. Rios, English Teacher
· Email: america.rios@meadowisd.net
All of my classes are in Robot mode! We learned this week that our Robot is helping out on a Ranch with feeding animals, herding sheep, and gathering eggs. The theme is RoboRanch and I am super excited about this competition. Students will compete at the Meadow competition in March. JH students will also compete at the Frenship competition on April 5th.
Students are learning and using the Engineering Design Process. This week we answered the Question/Problem step when we learned about the competition. Then in teams of 3-4 students they are Brainstorming and Planning/ Designing their robots and what challenges they will focus on based on points and what they feel their team can accomplish. Weekly teams will Build/Create attachments and then Test and Analyze their creations and ideas. Lastly they will Reflect and Improve their robots before competition. Each week students will be graded on the Test/Analyze phase and on their participation/teamwork. Hopefully your students are excited and will share their successes and failures with you. Yes, FAILURES are part of the Engineering Design Process which is why it is a loop not a list. Most of the time robots will not work as planned the first time and "robots get stage fright" so students will have several opportunities to be graded each week if they don't wait till the last minute.
~Kathyrn Woodard
We are back in the swing of things in our history and social studies classes. Our Freshman are currently studying the countries of Africa and will soon dive into the history of the continent. 8th Graders just wrapped up learning about the Industrial Revolution and are now studying the era of Westward Expansion. 7th Graders are learning about Texas history after the Civil War. Last but not least our 6th graders are studying the history of Africa. We are excited to be back in the classroom after a great Christmas break!
~Kole Vedder
Online Safety Tips from Mr. Fleming
Hey everyone! As kids spend more time online, it’s important to make sure they’re staying safe. A few quick tips—talk to your kids about what they’re doing online, keep an eye on who they’re talking to, and set clear rules about screen time and content. Encourage them to think before they click, and remind them that if something feels off, they should talk to a trusted adult. Let’s work together to keep our students safe in the digital world!
~Mr. Fleming, Director of Technology
