Test scores are still low, so the district is looking for a new solution to help students improve. Were learning, she said. Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But test scores have remained low in the three and a half years the school has been run by the T-STEM coalition. This weeksAustin ISD school board meeting was full of passion, and even some tears as students,teachers and community members stood up to fight to keep thecampus open. Mendez Middle School, serving approximately 900 students in South Austin, aims to provide students with a wealth of opportunities on their path to success. Theres more structure with our lesson plans. It has 573 students in grades 6-8 with a student-teacher ratio of 11 to 1. The Austin ISD Board of Trustees has approved Third Future Schools to turn Mendez Middle School's academic performance around as part of what's called an 1882 partnership. This weeks Austin ISD school board meeting was full of passion, and even some tears as students and teachers stood upPosted by KXAN News onWednesday, March 28, 2018. He has faith the state and district will make the right decisions. Perez said she is having to grasp project-based learning as she teaches it, but she said her students are more engaged. Still Practicing: Tracking Problem Doctors, Texas Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout Investigations, Sign up for More than the Score Sports newsletter, Students collect sewing machines for CenTex refugees, Keep Austin Cultural: City has 1st Asian Culture, Officials: Church bus carry adults, children in Houston, Off-duty cop caught pissing in ice machine, Austin City Council votes, decisions to be aware, Grinch repeatedly cuts homes Christmas lights, family, Roads with speed displays down 50% in severe crashes, Texas man heads to prison for human smuggling, These Nintendo Switch controllers make great gifts, Best beauty deals for the holiday shopper, How do you make your home smell good for the holidays? Mendez Middle School. Discover their incredible story in this picture book from award-winning creator Duncan Tonatiuh A Pura Belpr Illustrator Honor Book and Robert F. Sibert Honor Book When her family moved to the town of Westminster, California, young Sylvia Mendez was excited about enrolling in her . The struggles go back years at Mendez, located in a ZIP code that has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country. When the announcement was made, parents and teachers didnt have any idea it was being considered, and the letter sent to parents didnt include all of the details. Carrillo-Rowley acknowledges a rash of suspensions this year at Mendez, where at-home suspensions in the fall semester soared to 270, a 74 percent increase over the same period in 2017. She left behind a lasting legacy as the first Latina . AISD plans to move sixth grade classes from Martin and Mendez to some elementary schools that feed the two schools. How are you going to guarantee its done with fidelity at all five campuses and [at the middle schools] with such little planning?. T-STEM guidelines also require Mendez teachers to stay after school and work some Saturdays to help lagging students catch up. Some teachers complain that T-STEM administrators haven't provided enough support in dealing with disruptive students or trained them properly on project-based learning, a hands-on technique in which students learn about various subjects through problem-solving tied to the creation of projects. Video-Recorded Fight at Evanston Middle School Leaves Teacher Hurt, Parents Demanding Action Published April 20, 2022 Updated on April 20, 2022 at 10:30 pm NBC Universal, Inc. To find out where your child will attend, click on the school finder below the feeder pattern. For more information visit the Campus Website. We work on conflict resolution if theyre having issues with friends, family or teachers or just middle school stuff, said teacher Kaeli Helmink, who's in her sixth year at the school. Mays said removing sixth grade will help teachers at the middle school focus on fewer kids, and the district will give seventh- and eighth-graders more support to try and improve their rating. So, Im not understanding what the removal of sixth grade solves in conjunction to achievement and enrollment.. School district data show that at the end of the first six weeks, three teachers had left Mendez, one after the first week. This is notthe first time the district has been faced with a school closure, and hadto overhaul campuses. The stress became so overwhelming, she said, that during an advisory period, she curled up behind her desk and cried until two colleagues found her. Weve heard so many words from the administration, but we dont see a lot of action, parent Kate Robinson said. Eric Ramos, a special education teacher at Martin, said he has concerns about the timing of all of this. I was an athlete, and I had coaches who tried to tell me what my goals were and that never felt good. In January, Carrillo-Rowley launched a junior leadership class in an effort to lessen the need for suspensions. Here's What That Could Signal, How Long Is COVID Contagious? Communities In Schools of Central Texas, which provides students with needed services and goods, including counseling and clothing, also is taking a more active role on campus this semester. state education officials approved a plan, in-district charter being operated by the Texas Science Technology Engineering and Math Coalition, failed to meet state academic standards for five consecutive years, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The Englewood School District is investigating the so-called "Fight Club." Theres a lot more hands-on learning. The school is part of AUSTIN ISD. Austin City Council Member Delia Garza also showed up to the speak to the school board meeting, and told trustees it was the first time during her four years in office she has testified to a governing body. In this position, you're ready to defend vital parts of your body. Fighting at Joliet schools escalates amid attacks . He also said he recognizes the coalitions methods and curriculum might not be a good fit for everyone. Mays said removing sixth grade will help teachers at the middle school focus on fewer kids, and the district will give seventh- and eighth-graders more support to try and improve their rating. All rights reserved. One teacher, considered a leader among her peers, began having panic attacks and started taking anti-anxiety medication. Ramos said he worries about trying to set up sixth-grade programs at the elementary schools that will prepare the students to attend Martin or Mendez for seventh and eighth grades. If the campus doesn't improve academics during the 2022-23 school year, or the Texas Education Agency could take over . Consuelo Herrera Mendez, the schools namesake, worked as a teacher for nearly 50 years and was a tireless advocate for Mexican-American rights. Rene Hernandez has a seventh-grade son at Mendez and says heis feeling the added pressure of performing well on the STAARexam, which plays a big role in a campus meeting state standards. Mendez Middle School partners with Third Future Schools. Mendez Middle School, serving approximately 600 students in South Austin, aims to provide students with a wealth of opportunities on their path to success. Why were we not informed? Mendez Middle School may soon be under new leadership as Austin ISD explores ending the partnership that manages the school. Watch popular content from the following creators: (@shorelinesecrets), asms(@asms.page), Cj(@chin.2448), class of 2028(@westwood.class.of.2028), J. Multiple students at the school have parents who are or have been incarcerated, and more than half of the student body is learning to speak English. Mendez Middle School is a public, charter school located in AUSTIN, TX. The history of Austin ISD and school closures. Schmitt spoke at a board meeting Monday night about the incident, which sent her to an area hospital. Those who left Mendez departed for personal reasons, medical issues or promotions, she said. In November, multiple teachers said, about. The Exit: Teachers Leave. 2022-2023 Adopted Budget. Why did we not at least get to help make a plan? 2021Austin Independent School District Were here to serve; thats what we do.. If you need to pick-up your student at 2:45 or earlier, please email the office at least one hour prior to pick-up at [email protected]. , Stock up on COVID kits (on sale now) before spending, Heading to the cabin this winter? Instead, the coalition had helped to support organizations working to transform low-performing campuses. Austin ISD Gets B Overall From TEA, Sees Failing Grades At Some Middle And Elementary Schools, New Principal Hopes Project-Based Learning Will Improve Academics At Mendez, No More 'Same Old, Same Old': Mendez Middle School Picks Partner Focused On STEM, Two Community Groups Compete For Job To Help Turn Mendez Middle School Around, No One Raises Hand To Take Over Troubled Mendez Middle School, It's 'All Hands On Deck' At Mendez Middle School To Avoid Takeover. Both middle schools have received F grades from the state, and Mendez is currently trying to avoid state takeover because of its rating. Mendez Middle School employs 49 teachers, who have been with the school an average of 3 years. Mendez Middle School 5106 Village Square Dr., Austin, TX 78744 719.313.7007 + [email protected] . It reopened that fall as Eastside Memorial High School. In recognition of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 emergency, TEA labeled all campuses Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster for the 2020-21 school year. These circumstances are a result of the annual statewide testing and it is our belief that one standardized test should not define a school, AISDsaid in a statement to KXAN. Every week, I work with them on self-created goals. The transition, though, has been far from a smooth one. Mendez Middle School is located at 5106 VILLAGE SQ DR, AUSTIN, TX, 78744-4462. Seven months since the start of the new school year, though, the school continues to struggle as an in-district charter being operated by the Texas Science Technology Engineering and Math Coalition, known as T-STEM. If you need to excuse an absence for your student, please call 847-856-3401 or email [email protected]. Report cards are out, and the Austin Independent School District received a preliminary grade of B for the 2018-19 school year from the Texas Education, When students at Mendez Middle School return to school next month, there will be new curriculum and a new principal.After Mendez failed state standards, The community's pick to run Mendez Middle School would revamp the way students learn by focusing on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), Two organizations presented plans last night to parents, teachers and community members about how they would help Mendez Middle School improve.Mendez has, The Austin Independent School District has received no offers to run Mendez Middle School, which is on the brink of state takeover. Mendez Middle School has helped me conquer my fears,astudent told the board while holding back tears. Carrillo-Rowley says a review of the content areas they have studied show that Mendez students have made gains. Austin, TX 78744 Note: STAAR was cancelled in Spring 2020 due to COVID-19. Together, Perez said, Were serving our community. The student population of Mendez Middle is 573 and the school serves 6-8. So this summer, teams are going out to communities to try and get students to re-enroll. [2] For instance, you can bring your hands up to block a blow to your face. That same week, a male teacher trying to break up a fight was struck in the head and suffered a concussion. Austin ISD Lost Thousands Of Students During The Pandemic. Students Suffer. Everyone felt they were moving in the right direction, said Ken Zarifis, president of Education Austin, the Austin district's labor union, and a member of the selection committee that helped choose T-STEM. It turns out that the Queen of Pop herself talks on camera about her discomfort during a performance . This feeder pattern represents the path students take as they advance to high school. Phone: (512) 414-3284 "It was not pretty," he said. With that in mind, AISD will work diligently with the Texas Education Agency as well as the school community to keep Mendez open.. Everything was all over the place. Creative Learning InitiativeGearUpSocial and Emotional LearningSTEM Academy, After-school Meals The families in southeast Austin have faced and continue to face so many obstacles to begin with, and then familiesin my district do not have the luxury to choose their neighborhood based on school performance many are just living where they can afford to live, said Garza. He said if the elementary schools had more than a few months to work with the middle schools and the district it could be successful, but hes worried about starting something new by August. Former Mendez Principal Chris Jones, who now is an assistant principal at Travis High School, said he routinely meets with several of the middle school's teachers and tries to boost their morale. Seven years before Brown v. Board of Education, the Mendez family fought to end segregation in California schools. Its an all hands on deck pretty much all of the time kind of environment.. Does Illinois Require Front License Plates on Vehicles? 1998 - 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Quite frankly, some people have come to the conclusion that the expectation level, the rigor of work, the level of effort and time it takes to turn around a school may not be a good fit for them. Is a front license plate required in Texas? Behavior is more tame. Last week, a female student collapsed after a fight with another student and was carried from the school in an ambulance. About. Because how can we guarantee continuity at five different campuses. The Texas Education Agency has Mendez Middle School ontheir radar after four consecutive years of not meeting the states academic standards. Our superintendent is focused on not closing any campuses, Mays said in the Facebook Live last week. When T-STEM took over, Jones said he wanted to stay to finish the work he had started, but Simmons opted to hire Carrillo-Rowley. Its going to be hard to keep a lot of our programming, Ramos said. At the same time, the school's students have repeatedly failed to pass high-stakes exams, leaving Mendez at risk of being closed by the state. More students are enrolled in Algebra I when compared with last year, and high school English I is being offered at the school now. Mendez Middle School is located at 5106 VILLAGE SQ DR, AUSTIN, TX, 78744. At Mendez Middle, 12%. 2022 www.statesman.com. We know that as students are introduced into that middle-school setting, its a dynamic situation that for a sixth-grader, at that maturity level, can be challenging, Mays said. Consuelo Herrera Mendez, the school's namesake, worked as a teacher for nearly 50 years and was a tireless advocate for Mexican-American rights. For several years, Lucia Mendez has been the target of memes and jokes about her alleged fight with Madonna, but now everything may change with a video that has surfaced on social networks. Im still smiling, and I still love my job, said Carrillo-Rowley, who, as an administrator in the Midland district, helped turn around struggling schools. October 3, 2022 January 3, 2022 by americanpost. This week's Austin ISD school board meeting was full of passion, and even some tears as students, teachers and community members stood up to fight to keep th. If they made the decision, why couldnt we make a transition plan so its done without harming kids.. It is challenging by all means, but its enjoyable every day. Questions and concerns: 719.313.7007 Email: [email protected]. The practice exams provide a picture of learning gaps students must close before taking the state-mandated STAAR test that arrives in the spring. The school is named after Consuelo Herrera Mendez, who worked as an educator for more than 50 years and advocated tirelessly on behalf of the Mexican-American community. https://scorestream.com/apiJsCdn/widgets/embed.js. The district lost 5,000 students during the 2020-2021 school year. Thats a huge problem for us. A vertical team is the progression of schools a student is assigned based on their location. A cellphone video shows multiple students fighting, and then ultimately shows one of the students colliding with Schmitt, sending her sprawling to the ground. Aminta Perez, a former college history professor, started teaching at Mendez last year after relocating to Texas. Simmons said there are still significant challenges at Mendez, but T-STEM is determined to find solutions so Mendez will be able to serve the students and the Dove Springs neighborhood for years. ACE After-school ProgramBreakfast in the ClassroomCommunities in Schools He was brought in at the end of the last school year. The school district released a statement to NBC 5, saying that it has put a number of additional safety and support measures into place. In November, multiple teachers said, about 15 students were involved in simultaneous fights in the hallway. Lisa Flores has a child in eighth grade at Martin and a fifth grader who had planned on attending Martin next year. Get these cozy, Last-minute tech gifts worth waiting for, according. Hopefully, everything works out for the benefit of the students, said Hernandez. All rights reserved, Here's Where You Can See This Year's Official Christmas Tree in Downtown Chicago, Bomb Threat Disrupts Patti LaBelle Concert in Wisconsin, Shooting Outside Chicago Bar Leaves 3 Dead, 1 Critically Injured. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Fax: (512) 414-3522. Community School Jones staggered class periods so the different grade levels were not all in the halls at once, a practice, he and teachers said, cut down on in-school fights. Free Breakfast and Lunch for All Students Why so soon? Im only surprised it didnt happen sooner.. 3 Aim to get a blow in as early as possible. A fourth exited later in the semester, and a fifth left at the end of February; some teachers insist more have departed. How many COVID cases are in local & statewide schools? Why so soon? Ramos said. But Mays said that is not at all the case here. A surge in violence has become a major issue at a suburban middle school, with a teacher getting knocked unconscious during a brawl that was caught on cellphone video. The email address for the school is [email protected]. Carrillo-Rowley says the teacher departures at Mendez aren't more frequent than what she witnessed as the principal at other schools. The average daily attendance is up to 93.2 percent, a 1 percentage point increase from a year ago. Map Mendez Middle School was established in 1987 and today serves more than 600 students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. We still have work to do.. Claire McInerny is a former education reporter for KUT. Main:512-414-1700, School Report Card & TAPR/AEIS Information. Early Student Pick-Up & Absence Procedure. MAPS: COVID-19 vaccination rates in your zip code, COVID-19 tracker: Cases in the KXAN viewing area, Data tracker: COVID cases, vaccine rates across Texas, TX high school football state semifinal scores Dec., TX superintendent in investigation found dead, Someone sneaks onto ranch, cuts manes of 20 horses, WATCH: Mayor candidates Watson, Israel debate, Sign up: New KXAN Texas politics newsletter launching. AISD thinks this could keep sixth-grade students in district schools. If it doesnt improve academics by summer, it will, A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, Mendez is currently trying to avoid state takeover. Parents with children at the school say they are growing more concerned over the increasing number of fights occurring at Haven, and say that too little is being done. He said when became principal before the 2017-18 school year, Mendez already had endured four years of academic failure, and the school district started putting more resources into the school. Theyre doing pretty well, considering its a new model, a brand-new system theyre having to deal with. The school is part of AUSTIN ISD. Some Mendez teachers say the new interventions have come too late. There's a Concerning Amount of COVID in Chicago Wastewater Right Now. Other kids need the same chances I hadto show that we are not defeated we are strong so tonight, I stand up for Mendez!. Several parents gathered at Georgia Jones-Ayers Middle School in Allapattah Tuesday in the hopes of meeting with administrators to discuss the recent violent incidents. Mendez Middle School 5106 Village Square Dr., Austin, TX 78744 719.313.7007 + [email protected] . Officials arrests man on TX child sex assault warrant, Diners rank 2 Austin, 4 Texas restaurants among most, Familys warning after getting unexpected Medicare, Rain chances return ahead of a temperature plunge. Mendez needs to stay because I am not the only champion in my community. Mendez Middle School is a free 7-8 public charter school in Austin, TX, preparing students for the Year 2030 and Beyond. Unfortunately, Im not surprised that this incident happened. (@j3ss1c4.01), (@jqhnny), Adrian Lopez(@aaadrianlopez), Hms(@hmsslander69), a person right . To contact the school, call (512) 414-3284. Its going to take time.. It's Going Door To Door To Bring Them Back. The daily classes for students who need additional support academically or behaviorally emphasize intervention, character building and conflict resolution. The other issue AISD is trying to address is academic performance. The campus is providing additional instructional coaches to teachers. Martin and Mendez middle schools will not offer sixth grade next year. Some Mendez teachers say the new interventions have come too late. Eighth-grader Melody Vasquez said she feels that way. "Theres a lot of changes, but none of the changes are really negative. 5106 Village Square Dr. Austin, TX 78744 Phone: To speak with front office: 512.414.3284. But she said she remains committed to turning around Mendez, which has failed to meet state academic standards for five consecutive years. Data obtained by the Statesman show 8 percent of Mendez eighth-graders met standards in reading, and a mere 1 percent met standards in math. Some of these kids have not seen success in STAAR their entire academic career, Carrillo-Rowley said. This school year, Mendez students are using a project-based learning model, which introduces content at different times than their peer schools. Community fights to save troubled middle school | kvue.com Community fights to save troubled middle school 00:00 00:00 An unknown error has occurred State and district leaders gathered at. Athletic programs include basketball, soccer, tennis, track, football and volleyball. . With continued collaboration and commitment, we are confident these efforts will have a positive impact and will create a stronger Haven community, the district said. Teachers and parents helped choose T-STEM, which promised a collaborative partnership with the Austin school district. Unlike Brown v. Board of Education, which is widely known, Mendez v. Westminster is known by few Americans to this day. In both 2020 and 2021, TEA labeled all campuses Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster. Why it matters: If Mendez doesn't score a C or higher in TEA's accountability system in the 2022-23 school year, the school or even the district could be taken over by the state. So when state education officials approved a plan for a science-based coalition to take over the Southeast Austin campus, teachers, students and parents envisioned a turnaround for Mendez. Enroll now Inscrbase Hoy Employment Contact Us Seeing how the school was back when my brother and sisters were here (over the past decade), its gotten a lot safer and more involved with the students.. But once the school year started, with the many concerns on campus, it makes us wonder if T-STEM is in over their head.. In 2019, the district proposed closing 12 schools that were facing under-enrollment, and ended up closing four of them. Mendez is the only school in the Austin Independent School District in its fifth year of failing the annual state assessment, or STAAR, test. In-school suspensions, though, fell by 14 percent, totaling 143. In a Facebook Live last week, AISDs chief of schools, Anthony Mays, said this enrollment drop is most dramatic at the sixth-grade level. According to state test scores, 12% of students are at least proficient in math and 17% in reading. Austin ISD reopened the campus as two single-gender campuses:Bertha Sadler Means and Gus Garcia Middle School. Flores said she's also concerned about the details of AISDs plan: students can attend sixth grade at their elementary school, but if parents want to send their kid to a middle school for sixth grade, they will have to attend another district school. The campus also struggles to retain substitute teachers, and when no one fills in for a teacher who is out, the students are divvied up and sent to neighboring classes, even if those other classes are for different subjects or grade levels. I simply heard a commotion coming from just outside my classroom, and I made a choice to quickly step out into the hallway to assess the situation and see if theres something I could do to help, she said. Even still, many parents say the proposed steps havent gone far enough to address their concerns. Teachers Mendez Middle School employs 50 teachers, who have been with the school an average of 4 years. This week's Austin ISD school board meeting was full of passion, and even some tears as students, teachers and community members stood up to fight to keep the campus open. But at this point, teachers and parents in these communities have questions about how the change will help those issues and how the transition will work. One of the fears in the community is that removing sixth grade from these two middle schools is the beginning of a plan to close them. That loss means a loss in state funding. Meanwhile, data show at-home suspensions hit an all-time high last semester and students posted lackluster scores on midyear academic assessments, raising concerns that they aren't making gains quickly enough for Mendez to surpass state standards during testing in May. If kids are failing in sixth grade, then they havent been well prepared in elementary school, she said. Every system youre putting in place, youre trying to figure out the glitches. Teachers. We do recognize this may not be a good fit for every staff member at Mendez because its a different approach, its a different style. Mendez Middle School 5106 Village Square Dr., Austin, TX 78744 719.313.7007 + [email protected] . Both middle schools have received F grades from the state, and Mendez is currently trying to avoid state takeover because of its rating. The change goes into effect this fall. Indeed, the Mendez case is seldom taught in schools. This community shouldnt face the additional fear of their neighborhood school closing, becoming segregated or less reflective of the community.. When Carrillo-Rowley arrived on campus, she became Mendez's fifth principal in five years. KickStart, a national character-building karate program launched at Mendez three years ago, also has added more students. Under a state law passed in 2017, T-STEM has two years to raise the school's performance to passing levels. Charter School Adopted Budget. Mendez Middle School 5106 Village Square Dr., Austin, TX 78744 With a focus on both community service and career and technical education, Mendez strives to live up to her legacy by providing students with the foundation they need to enter the global workforce and become contributing members of their community. 5 Followers, 2 Following, 8 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Send me anything like fights or memes or random shit (@mendez.middle.school) Currently 60% of the students that are moving from fifth grade to sixth grade within the Mendez and Martin vertical team [leave], Mays said. Mendez Middle School, serving approximately 600 students in South Austin, aims to provide students with a wealth of opportunities on their path to success. The principal also noted that while overall suspensions rose, a survey taken in November indicated that Mendez students thought they were safer on campus than they were the previous school year. But T-STEM leaders say the scores reflect progress. Twenty-eight percent were rated as approaching standards, the minimum passing requirement, in reading, and 18 percent were judged as approaching standards in math. In reading, 38 students were one correct answer away from a passing rate, and 169 students were two questions away. 5106 Village Square Drive This school year, T-STEM Executive Director David Simmons and Carrillo-Rowley said, Mendez has more students participating in the schools extracurricular activities, including guitar, choir and band. The parents claim there. Nearly 300 people died on Austin's streets last year. Student fights broke out starting the second week of school and have continued. At Mendez, a partnership with the nonprofit Communities in School and UTeach called the T-STEM Coalition, has overseen the school. Student fights broke out starting the second week of school and have continued. Youre learning, theyre learning, and you go from there. She said if students take that option, why would they transfer back to Martin or Mendez in seventh grade? As a result, this website will continue to display 2019 STAAR Passing Rates until 2022 STAAR Passing Rates are available from the TEA. Austin ISD had to go back to the drawing board after receiving no applications in its recent request for proposals. What's going on? If you can make it fun for them, they engage., Carrillo-Rowley said the second semester has been better as students are finally starting to trust us and listen., Change is hard, and its hard to get everyone to buy in, she said, but Im not going anywhere. For the past four years, Mendez has been managed under an agreement with T-STEM Texas. Mendez has gotten a, Mendez Middle School in Southeast Austin has failed to meet state standards over the past four years. Runoff turnout tracker: How many people have voted? Authorities are urging indoor masking in major cities as the 'tripledemic' rages, The City of Austin has a dilemma: What to do with 32 fighting roosters, Delayed Texas maternal mortality report to be released next week, state says, To avoid state takeover, Austin ISD wants new leadership at Mendez Middle School. 2022-2023. 16 talking about this. If you dont have respect in the building, you cant control the building, Marlon Millner said. We want to address that by keeping those students at their elementary campus.. Over a recent 2-month span, the Statesmanvisited multiple classrooms and interviewed a group of 17 current and former Mendez parents, volunteers, students and teachers, including seven Mendez teachers, who asked to remain anonymous for fear they would lose their jobs if they spoke publicly of the schools problems. What keeps me going and keeps me hopeful is were seeing growth.. That setting is not a quick-fix setting, Jones said. The teachers average 6 years of experience in teaching. For a current project, her students are trying to figure out how to successfully navigate and survive the Oregon Trail, applying concepts in economics, geography and vocabulary to the task. 4000 S. I-H 35 Frontage Rd., Austin, TX 78704 Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Sign Up for Daily News & Breaking News Newsletters, Sign up for Digging Deep: Inside KXAN Investigates newsletter. Discover short videos related to mendez middle school fights on TikTok. Why it matters: Mendez has been rated as an "F" school by the Texas Education Agency since 2013. Austin ISD officials announced the change last week in a letter to families, saying it will help both schools gain enrollment and do better academically. There was a lot of optimism over the summer. We want all of our campuses to be strong and viable options for the populations that are currently in our schools, and the populations that we are losing to charter schools., PublishedFebruary 10, 2022 at 10:03 AM CST. Zarifis said he has met with a dozen of the school's 50 teachers a few times, and they keep raising concerns about student behavior, the lack of respect shown them by administrators and a minimal interest in their suggestions for changes. I tell them they are empowered to make their own.. If the southeast Austin campus fails again this school year, it could be closed. Theres definitely more structure, said Melody, who's 13. I do not believe this student had any intention of hurting me, she said. Keep your elbows low and against your sides and spread your feet shoulder-width apart with your dominant foot slightly in front. 'Kids Were Doing What They Wanted To Do' Chris Jones is Mendez's third principal in five years. In 2008, the state closed Johnston High School in east Austin after it failed to make the cut for five years in a row. The principal of Joliet West High School was trying to break up a fight last Friday and was punched multiple times while students recorded video. Forty percent of the teachers also left. Carrillo-Rowley and other T-STEM leaders glimpse a glimmer of hope in Mendez eighth-grade students poor performance during their middle-of-year academic assessments in December. In a series of interviews with the American-Statesman, various teachers said they witness student fights weekly. We have asked teachers to do a lot of things differently, said Simmons, pointing to project-based learning, increased academic rigor and the additional time demands that come with supporting and tutoring students who are not succeeding. Scores in math show 34 students were one question away from reaching a passing rate of approaches standards, and 100 students were two questions from reaching one of the passing levels. Here's What to Know If You Test Positive. On a recent day in March, three students sat in a semicircle as a teacher helped them to work out their differences. With roughly 2 months remaining in the school year, some teachers at Mendez say the transition to T-STEM has been a learning curve, but the school is headed in the right direction. Haven Middle School in Evanston is the location of the growing trend of violence, and teacher Amber Evey Schmitt was caught in the middle of a recent fight. After her mother died, Sylvia made it her mission to educate people about her family's fight for desegregation. The district doesn't know for sure where all those students go, but Mays said charter schools are a big reason for the enrollment loss. Both Martin and Mendez have seen declining enrollment the last few years. Enrollment has grown slightly, too, up 3 percent to 626 students. Please hear me when I say: I did not put myself between students to break up this fight, she said. You have to try to train them as you yourself are trying to figure it out yourself. The district is in the process of putting together a turnaround plan which includes finding an outside entity to partner with who can help turn things around. Some say they fear being injured while breaking up fights or fear that innocent students will get caught in other students brawls. The state also closed Pearce Middle School inthe summer of 2009. The charter operator was one of two groups that pitched turnaround proposals to Mendez teachers and parents, who welcomed T-STEM's promise to partner with the Austin school district, the University of Texas UTeach Institute, which provides additional staff training and support, and Communities in Schools. UTeach Tutors. Mendez Principal Joanna Carrillo-Rowley, who relocated from Midland last summer, acknowledges the rough start at her new school, where nearly all the students are from low-income families and more than 90 percent are Latino. [email protected] Jasmine Torian Assistant Principal Jasmine Torain is Assistant Principle at Mendez Middle School. Mendez Middle is a charter school located in Austin, TX, which is in a large city setting. Daily instruction will reinforce our Core Belief; that all students can. We give students experiences and opportunities like nowhere else. In recent years, Mendez Middle School teachers have watched administrators cycle through campus like a spinning turnstile. Each child's exact path is determined by his or her home address. Mays said the district is hoping parents will feel more comfortable keeping their kids at their elementary school and wont transfer out. Her sister was an assistant principal at the school, where her nephew also is a teacher. For the last four years, the school in Dove Springs has been run by an outside partnership. Family Resource Center Before taking charge of Mendez, T-STEM had never attempted to lead a school turnaround. To contact the school, call (512) 414-3284. View Mendez athletics schedules on RankOneSport . Compare Mendez Middle School to Other Schools. Mendez case and her family's fight for equality. I mean, literally what Im hearing is kids dont respect the principal and the senior staff., Copyright 2022 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. That's a record. T-STEM leaders said Mendez students would be so engaged in project-based learning that discipline issues would all but disappear. Currently, Dr. Thurston is the principal at Mendez Middle School in Austin, Texas where he is excited to lead intense school improvement efforts. The results were the lowest middle-of-the-year scores for a middle school in the Austin district. 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