Dear Wildcat Families,
May’s IB Learner Profile focus is “Reflective”. Reflective learners thoughtfully consider their own ideas and experiences, understand their strengths and areas for growth, and use that awareness to support their learning and well-being. In middle school, this might look like a student thinking about how a test went and setting a goal for next time, pausing to consider how their words or actions affected others, or using teacher feedback to revise and improve an assignment.
Students can practice being reflective in simple, concrete ways each day. They might ask themselves questions like, “What went well for me today?”, “What was challenging and how did I respond?”, or “What can I try differently tomorrow?”. Writing a quick reflection in a planner, talking through a situation with a trusted adult, or setting one small goal for the week are all examples of how students can strengthen this IB attribute over time.
Families play a powerful role in helping students develop reflection. You can support your student by asking open-ended questions instead of yes/no ones (for example, “What is something you’re proud of from this week?” or “If you could redo one moment today, what would you change?”). Noticing and naming reflective behavior at home (“I saw you pause and rethink before responding—that’s being reflective”) reinforces this attribute and connects home and school expectations.
This year, our students have shown their commitment by showing up. Our positive attendance rate is 91.4%, with 6th grade at 92.4%, 7th grade at 91.5%, and 8th grade at 90.55%, very close to the TSD middle school average of 91.6%. Our chronic absenteeism rate has improved to 24%, down from 25.5% a year ago, which reflects the combined efforts of students, families, and staff to prioritize being at school. Sixth grade met their March and April goals and will be enjoying donuts and games!
Thank you for partnering with us to create a school where students feel they belong and where they see purpose in being here consistently. Your encouragement to maintain high expectations for behavior and academics, especially as we head into May, helps students finish the year with pride and a strong sense of accomplishment. We look forward to celebrating many milestones and next steps this month!
Go Wildcats! ROAR!
Jeanette Ryan
Principal
