TLC BEGINS MONDAY, AUGUST 29

Our administration and faculty believe student responsibility is vital for academic success.  It is important for SMS students to enter their classrooms with a “ready to learn” attitude.  Having this mind-set is essential for educational achievement, so we are excited to continue the TLC (the Learning Classroom) for 2022-2023 school-year.  TLC will begin at SMS on August 22, 2022.

The Learning Classroom is a program where teachers require students to be on time, with homework, and necessary class materials (prepared). For example, not having a charged and working IPAD.  In English it might be paper, pencil/pen and a novel, in Band it might be an instrument, and in Physical Education it might be wearing the PE uniform.  Having students prepared creates an academic atmosphere for teachers to teach and students to learn.  Students will be assigned TLC for tardies only after the 3^rd tardy mark for that specific class.

When students are on time and prepared for each class, they will earn the 2:20 p.m. release time. If students are not prepared, then they will be entered into the TLC intervention and the teacher will also ask students to place a call home at that moment so you are aware they are required to stay after school.   Students who are marked for TLC will be assigned to the Media Center from 2:30-4:00 p.m.   Ninth-hour teachers will check the TLC spreadsheet to determine who receives a dismissal time of 2:20 p.m. and who stays until 4:00 p.m. and students are walked to the Media Center.

While in TLC, students have the opportunity to make-up past assignments and complete homework.  It is a quiet study hall, which allows students to move toward the direction of success at SMS, while offering certified teachers as mentors, tutors and support. For tardies (3) and being prepared, students will sign-in with a QR code that leads to a reflection sheet about why they are tardy to class or why they are not prepared. A restorative circle will occur and students will develop a plan to help rectify the situation so students can be more successful in class.

Students assigned to TLC, who do not attend from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. will be pulled the following morning and attend a restorative circle to rectify the reason for the absence and provide support that is needed to the student before they can return to class.

We believe the choice of being responsible is a learned skill.  The faculty and administration at SMS are pleased to offer this program to your student.  The Learning Classroom  is a way to instill the “ready to learn” attitude which allows students to achieve academic success.

Benefits of TLC program as seen in previous school year at both SMS and MEMS:

• Established environment of learning and respect throughout the school.
• More homework completed—97% of students prepared with work each day! 
• Improved grades
• 99.8% of students on time to each class. 
• Improved student responsibility and preparation for high school
• Increased parent communication
• Attendance probation list decreased by two-thirds.