Principal's Blog
Today's
Thoughts:
02.07.08
I received a call last night from a concerned parent
regarding the upcoming FCAT
The parent’s concern targeted the perceived emphasis that
the school appears to place on this standardized state mandated assessment of a
student’s writing skills.
I shared with the parent that the focus of the TCMS
instructional program is to teach and guide students in learning and
effectively using the tools available to them and how to analyze, synthesize
and apply the knowledge they have acquired in every day living. TCMS is not a
public school that teaches FCAT-FLORIDA
WRITES/TCMS WRITES but rather a school which creates learning environments
that meet the needs of the individual learner. These environments promote
standards based learning objectives set at a higher standard than in most
comparative public middle schools.
Finally, I assured the parent that since literacy is the
strand that runs through all subjects, the emphasis on writing skills is
paramount to student success in all both core and elective classes.
FCAT merely is one tool which helps us gauge how a student
is performing in his/her individual learning process.
At the close of the conversation last night, the parent
shared with me that he felt much better.
Please do not hesitate to contact me via phone, email or a
personal visit. Helping parents feel more comfortable about the instructional
program is a critical part of the educational process.
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02.01.08
This month will be filled with a number of academic and
social activities for our students. However, of note, early in the month, the
annual administration of the FCAT FLORIDA
WRITES ’08 and TCMS WRITES ’08 occurs for 8th grade and 6th/7th
grade students respectively. Please encourage your
child to stay focused on his/her literacy and writing skills within all
subjects including electives. Each course infuses the concepts and training
needed for successful application of these skills. If you have any questions contact your
child’s team of teachers and his/her counselor.
Only 14 weeks of school remain in this academic year. Can
you believe how quickly time is slipping by us? Please continue to stay in touch with the
school; and should you have any questions and/or concerns regarding TCMS’
operations contact me directly. I encourage you to stay involved!
Kindest regards,
Gary Hocevar