Looking forward at the year ahead, Fountain Hills Middle School principal, James Carrick, said he is excited to continue to improve upon the things that already make FHMS a one-of-a-kind …
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Principal Carrick: Big year planned at FHMS
FHMS Carrick.JPG
Posted
Joey Postiglione, Reporter
Looking forward at the year ahead, Fountain Hills Middle School principal, James Carrick, said he is excited to continue to improve upon the things that already make FHMS a one-of-a-kind school.
From academics to a new positive behavior model, Carrick said there are exciting things on the horizon for FHMS.
One major new addition to middle school academics will be the adoption of new math textbooks or, as Carrick views it, a new math resource.
“The key is that it is not as much of a textbook adoption as it a resource adoption,” Carrick explained. “In the past, when people adopt a textbook, they consider that to be the curriculum; that you start at page one and then go through the book. Well, we already have a curriculum, Beyond Textbooks, so we need resources that support our curriculum.”
The committee in charge of selecting this new resource is made up of most of the FHMS math teachers, parents and a few administrators. They will start meeting this week to begin the search.
Another big adoption that the middle school is looking to make is the behavioral resource, PBIS.
PBIS, or Positive Behavior Interventions and Support, is a resource that aims to teach students about good behavior just like any other subject in school.
Along with quick 5- to 10-minute lessons, FHMS is also developing a matrix that says in plain language what is expected of students when a teacher asks them to be respectful.
“So in each area (of FHMS) we want common language,” Carrick said. “So we expect you to be respectful. Well, what does that look like in the classroom? If I asked you, you might have one definition and someone else might have another. We are asking 10-year-olds to know what we think respect is.”
Carrick expects that FHMS PBIS will be ready to roll out next school year but he plans on building anticipation for the resource with signs teasing its arrival.
Along with these new additions to FHMS, Carrick also said that the school will move into the next phase of its Beyond Textbook implementation.
“The next phase is really honing in on what is reteach and enrich for us,” Carrick said. “The first year and a half was focused on how we do it; how do we use all the resources available to us? And now that we have it in place, how do we build consistency in our reteach for students who are struggling and enrichment for the students who are ahead?”
These are just a few of the new things to expect from FHMS in 2020.
