texas state school of music tour

sue
s
I
his
T
n
I
tate
xas S
:
GEAR UP
Goods
November/December 2012
ol
Scho
ss
dine
e
a
T
e
R
:
e
ES
olleg
D TIM
C
O
&
O
G
our
sisic T
u
M
spon
e
of
R
ng
ffs
m oti
o
o
k
r
c
P
i
K
F:
STUF
D
al
O
GO
ncip
r
i
r
o
i
P
v
:
eha
PANY
M
ble B
O
C
OOD
ovem
IN G
N
:
R
DA
on II
ALEN
C
Edi ti
R
U
K YO
nts
MAR
r Eve
e
b
m
Dece
/
r
e
b
8th Grade
Good News You Can Use
November/December 2012 - 8th Grade
GOOD TIMES
TEXAS STATE
SCHOOL OF MUSIC TOUR
What happens when you ask a group of 8th grade students to wake up EXTRA early and be at school BEFORE 7
AM?! They show up! GEAR UP was proud to take 40 students on a day-long tour of Texas State’s School of Music. Students were nominated by their band instructors to attend the university tour based on their students’ interest in pursuing a
degree and career in music. With a bus full of musically inclined students, we knew it was going to be a great day.
The trip began with a tour of Texas State’s beautiful campus in San Marcos, TX. Students experienced the bustle and excitement of campus life and were provided with a glimpse of what they can expect after graduation. Students were later
treated to a behind-the-scenes look at ensemble practice where they watched and listened to Texas State students practice
and preform music at the collegiate level. Our day concluded with a question-and-answer session with Texas State students
where our students had the chance to ask the question that was really on their mind: “What do I have to do to come here?!”
A big thanks to our tour guides at Texas State and an even bigger thanks to Mr. Solorzano from Leal Middle School for
spearheading the trip and inspiring our students to think beyond high school and envision themselves in a college setting.
Continuar
1
GOOD TIMES
cont.
Could
see yourself
Terrellyou
Wells students
love college!
attending
Texas State?
“Yeah, I Leal
likestudents
the way
it was
give
a big thumbs
up
there. ISPC
liked
the buildings
and statues, the way it was
built…everything!”
-Joshua Cortez @ Leal Middle School
Did You Know Texas State?
Kingsborough students get a
look at the Watson Fine Arts
Theater
COLLEGE
READINESS
KICKOFFS
Was formally known as Southwest Texas State
Is the 5th largest university in Texas
Has 97 bachelor’s programs
Awarded $6.8 million in scholarships in 2011
Undergraduate tuition is $4,385 per semester with
a 15 hour course load
Student-to-faculty ratio is 20-to-1
Has a student body of over 34,000 students
Are you ready
for some…
college!
Fall in South Texas is a time for cooler weather, shorter days and of course...football! But along with the gridiron
games comes the need to make our students aware of the choices they have when it comes to picking the right college.
GEAR UP was happy to host two College Readiness Kickoff Events aimed at providing our Harlandale community with the
information they need to begin making their child’s college dream a reality.
We’d like to thank all of the representatives that came out to dialogue with our community and provide literature on their organization. A BIG GEAR UP thanks goes out to: Texas A&M San Antonio, Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, Columbia University, University of Texas at San Antonio, St. Philip’s College, Salud y Exito, Texas A&M College Station,
IBC Bank, LULAC, Café College, HISD Film School, McCollum School of Leadership, AETNA, and a host of other individuals and volunteers that braved the early morning cool weather to help educate our 14 square miles of excellence on the importance of a postsecondary education. GEAR UP. Go far.
Continued
2
3
Good Stuff
TIPS for
Promoting
Responsible
Behavior
1. Discuss What Responsible Behavior Is
It may come as a surprise, but many of our students
do not discuss what responsible behavior is with their
parents. And because of this, it is important to talk to
your child about their environment and how it influences their behavior. Rules at school are different
from rules at home. Explaining to your child the purpose of school rules will help them understand why
rules are in place and how school rules are there to
help them with their education by creating order and
helping maintain a safe environment for all students.
2. Discuss What it Means to Take Responsibility for Your Own Actions
Students often fail to recognize the consequences of their actions. Their young minds are much more concerned with
items that provide instant gratification than potential penalties that may arise from their behavior. And because these
young minds are continually maturing, it is important to explain to them that their decisions have consequences and
that analyzing their behavior will only help them make better choices. The choices your child makes affects them and
others. Understanding this will only help them see that responsible behavior is essential to making their learning environment and community a better place to be.
3. Discuss What it Means to be Self-Disciplined
Self-discipline is having the strength to control your own behavior. As our students begin to make their transition to
high school, having a great sense of self-discipline will influence their ability to stay away from trouble and keep their
focus on academics. Discuss with your child the importance of monitoring their own behavior in a variety of situations.
Ask them how they would handle various situations that could test their self-discipline, such as peer pressure or even
self-motivation. And finally, discuss with them the consequences of not being self-disciplined. At HISD, we want your
child to do great things in school and in their lives. Your student is a proud member of the Class of 2017 and a member of the HISD GEAR UP cohort. To say that we want the best for your child is an understatement, but we know that
when work together great things are possible.
Harlandale GEAR UP Rocks! It’s the hottest, coolest college program in town! Want to know why? It’s
because of our awesome students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the Harlandale ISD community. The GEAR UP staff (Mr. Talamantes , Ms. Frias, Ms. Galindo, and myself) are passionate about
helping our 8th grade cohort become the best all around successful students in the history of Harlandale ISD.
GEAR
From the beginning the GEAR UP staff has worked really, really hard to provide the cohort with the
most recent college going information, events, professional development for teachers and administrators that will make all of the cohort academically competitive and responsible and polite young adults.
On behalf of the GEAR UP staff, I want to thank everyone that has accepted the challenge to the very
best students and citizens in our community and beyond. Keep up the awesome work!
Your faithful servant,
LETICIA C RODRIGUEZ, GEAR UP Project Facilitator
Contact Leticia: (210) 989 4490 [email protected]
U
P
Ro c
ks!
Continued
3
E d i t i o n
William Hall Jr.
Kingsborough Middle School
What is something most people don’t know about you?
“I’m a backyard vegetable gardener looking to grow the perfect tomato for my wife.”
What makes your campus unique?
“I feel what makes our campus unique is the “openness.” Our campus has open land
to the sides and in the back of our school. We have great neighbors who keep an eye
out for us.”
What was the greatest challenge you faced as a student?
“Keeping my competitive edge in school. Schoolwork came easy for me and I was
constantly challenged to focus and concentrate.”
What advice do you have for our parents?
“Challenge your students to push themselves to their highest potential. Never allow them to settle for just passing.”
What advice do you have for our students?
“Set short and long term goals. Reflect from time to time on how you are doing on meeting those goals. Don’t give up
when a goal is not met, continue with another plan of action to meet all your goals.”
Contact Mr. Hall: (210) 989 2200 - [email protected]
Marianela Sanchez Gonzalez
Leal Middle School
What is something that most people don’t know about you?
“I love to cook.”
What makes your campus unique?
“Hard working and caring faculty and staff and our students.”
What was the greatest challenge you faced as a student?
“Not knowing English.”
What advice do you have for our parents?
“To expect their child to accomplish something in life.”
What advice do you have for our students?
“Don’t settle for mediocrity. Be the best at whatever you choose to be.”
IN GOOD COMPANY
P r i n c i p a l
Contact Mrs. Gonzalez: (210) 989 2400 –[email protected]
Mark Your
November 9th - Movie Night @ Café College 6 PM - 8 PM
November 10th - Middle School Workshop: Preparing for High School @
Café College 11 AM - 12 PM
November 19th - 23rd - Thanksgiving Break
November 30th - Reconnecting Youth: Career Exploration @ Café
College 6 PM - 8 PM
Calendar
December 12th - HMS Band Holiday Concert @ Boggess Center 6 PM
December 24th - Jan. 4th - Christmas Break
4