September 11, 2026
Friday Focus
Happy Friday! This coming week we will have our first inservice day of the school year. As we map out our professional development for the year, I want to give you a clear picture of where we’re heading and why. This year, our PD focus will center on the Science of Reading.
I know the reaction some of you might have when you hear "reading PD" in a high school building: I teach Chemistry, Auto Tech, or Geometry. I don’t teach reading, so how does this apply to me?
That reaction makes complete sense if we’re talking about teaching kids how to decode letters or sound out words. That’s not what this is. In a high school setting, this is about disciplinary literacy—how students read, process, and write within your specific field.
A student can’t solve a multi-step word problem in calculus, analyze a source document in history, or execute a safety manual in shop class if they struggle to navigate the specialized language of that subject. You aren't being asked to become reading teachers; you’re being asked to help students access the complex content you teach every day.
This isn't a brand-new initiative or a sudden shift in direction. It’s the direct next step from our work last year on the Science of Learning.
Last year, we looked at cognitive load, working memory, and how students store information in long-term memory. The Science of Reading is simply applying those exact cognitive principles to text:
When students hit a wall with dense text or subject-specific vocabulary, their working memory gets overloaded. When that happens, high-level critical thinking stops.
The background knowledge and vocabulary you teach in your classrooms are the two biggest drivers of reading comprehension at the secondary level.
The retrieval strategies we practiced last year are the same tools that help students become active readers instead of just skimming a page.
75% of our students will show growth in ELA which includes reading.
75% of our students will score proficient in ELA which includes reading.
We will not reach these targets if reading is treated as something that only happens in the English classrooms. English teachers teach literary analysis and general strategy, but you are the expert on how to read like a scientist, a mathematician, a historian, or a technician. When every department takes ownership of helping students navigate content text, these goals become very achievable.
Our upcoming sessions will be practical, subject-specific, and focused on tools you can use right away. We won't be spending time on early-childhood literacy theories; we'll focus on high-yield strategies you can embed directly into your existing units without sacrificing content time.
Other Upcoming Information:
On September 16, during 7th and 8th period, I will be administering the Civics Exams to 70+ seniors that have not taken this exam yet. This is a new state requirement for graduation. Students must earn a 60% or higher sometime during their 4 years in high school. Students will be taking this exam normally in government class their Junior year. Students can take it as many times as needed.
Homecoming 2026
Monday, September 28 - Airport Adventure Day - Dress like you are headed to the airport for a trip to Paradise.
Coronation - 7:30 Auditorium
Tuesday, September 29 - Set Sail in Style Day - Dress in your best preppy, nautical, or business casual look.
Wednesday, September 30 - Paradise Palette Day - Assigned Colors - Staff wear black
Thursday, October 1 - Tropical Tourist Day - Hawaiian Shirts, tropical prints, leis, sunglasses, sun hats
Friday, October 2 - Bulldog Paradise Pride Day - Wear red and black.
Homecoming Schedule:
Period 1: 8:30 am - 9:12 am
Period 2: 9:16 am - 9:58 am
Advisory: 10:02 am - 10:15 am
Homecoming Olympics/Pep Rally: 10:30 am - Noon
Lunch: Noon to 1:00 pm
Parade Line Up: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Parade: 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm
Varsity Football: 7:00 pm
- Sept. 16 - first professional development day
- Sept. 24 - 1st Quarter Midterm
- Sept. 25 - Tier 2 Plans due Sept. 25 in shared drive.
- Sept. 30 - second professional development day
- Oct. 1 - Parent/Teacher Conferences Night 1
- Oct. 2 - Homecoming
- Oct. 3 - Dance
- Oct. 5 - Parent Teacher Conferences Night 2
Mark
Assistant Principal's Happenings
Moss
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