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. 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. Mendez Middle School, serving approximately 600 students in South Austin, aims to provide students with a wealth of opportunities on their path to success. Student fights broke out starting the second week of school and have continued. 2022-2023. 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. Enroll now Inscrbase Hoy Employment Contact Us The student population of Mendez Middle is 573 and the school serves 6-8. 5106 Village Square Drive Mendez Middle School 5106 Village Square Dr., Austin, TX 78744 719.313.7007 + mendez@thirdfuture.org . If you need to excuse an absence for your student, please call 847-856-3401 or email MSOffice@dist50.net. Early Student Pick-Up & Absence Procedure. This feeder pattern represents the path students take as they advance to high school. Aminta Perez, a former college history professor, started teaching at Mendez last year after relocating to Texas. 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. School district data show that at the end of the first six weeks, three teachers had left Mendez, one after the first week. The school district released a statement to NBC 5, saying that it has put a number of additional safety and support measures into place. 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. 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. In January, Carrillo-Rowley launched a junior leadership class in an effort to lessen the need for suspensions. 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. 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. Even still, many parents say the proposed steps havent gone far enough to address their concerns. Why were we not informed? But she said she remains committed to turning around Mendez, which has failed to meet state academic standards for five consecutive years. 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) Please hear me when I say: I did not put myself between students to break up this fight, she said. Theres a lot more hands-on learning. In both 2020 and 2021, TEA labeled all campuses Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster. If the southeast Austin campus fails again this school year, it could be closed. Mendez Middle School is a free 7-8 public charter school in Austin, TX, preparing students for the Year 2030 and Beyond. Youre learning, theyre learning, and you go from there. What keeps me going and keeps me hopeful is were seeing growth.. 2021Austin Independent School District 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. Phone: (512) 414-3284 Martin and Mendez middle schools will not offer sixth grade next year. Austin ISD had to go back to the drawing board after receiving no applications in its recent request for proposals. The practice exams provide a picture of learning gaps students must close before taking the state-mandated STAAR test that arrives in the spring. Map Before taking charge of Mendez, T-STEM had never attempted to lead a school turnaround. 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. 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. Runoff turnout tracker: How many people have voted? 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. Both middle schools have received F grades from the state, and Mendez is currently trying to avoid state takeover because of its rating. 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. 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. It reopened that fall as Eastside Memorial High School. Some Mendez teachers say the new interventions have come too late. Lisa Flores has a child in eighth grade at Martin and a fifth grader who had planned on attending Martin next year. Keep your elbows low and against your sides and spread your feet shoulder-width apart with your dominant foot slightly in front. Schmitt spoke at a board meeting Monday night about the incident, which sent her to an area hospital. We still have work to do.. If you dont have respect in the building, you cant control the building, Marlon Millner said. 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. 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. Together, Perez said, Were serving our community. 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 . Thats a huge problem for us. A vertical team is the progression of schools a student is assigned based on their location. For the last four years, the school in Dove Springs has been run by an outside partnership. On a recent day in March, three students sat in a semicircle as a teacher helped them to work out their differences. The history of Austin ISD and school closures. The Englewood School District is investigating the so-called "Fight Club." The state also closed Pearce Middle School inthe summer of 2009. Mendez Middle School. 1998 - 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Creative Learning InitiativeGearUpSocial and Emotional LearningSTEM Academy, After-school Meals Theres definitely more structure, said Melody, who's 13. Daily instruction will reinforce our Core Belief; that all students can. The teachers average 6 years of experience in teaching. Because how can we guarantee continuity at five different campuses. But once the school year started, with the many concerns on campus, it makes us wonder if T-STEM is in over their head.. Theyre doing pretty well, considering its a new model, a brand-new system theyre having to deal with. 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. The email address for the school is joanna.rowley@austinisd.org. For more information visit the Campus Website. Everything was all over the place. In reading, 38 students were one correct answer away from a passing rate, and 169 students were two questions away. Fighting at Joliet schools escalates amid attacks . 2022 www.statesman.com. Mendez Middle School 5106 Village Square Dr., Austin, TX 78744 719.313.7007 + mendez@thirdfuture.org . 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. 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. Mendez Middle School 5106 Village Square Dr., Austin, TX 78744 The district lost 5,000 students during the 2020-2021 school year. Austin, TX 78744 That's a record. I was an athlete, and I had coaches who tried to tell me what my goals were and that never felt good. For the past four years, Mendez has been managed under an agreement with T-STEM Texas. The results were the lowest middle-of-the-year scores for a middle school in the Austin district. Teachers and parents helped choose T-STEM, which promised a collaborative partnership with the Austin school district. About. Teachers. He has faith the state and district will make the right decisions. 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. A fourth exited later in the semester, and a fifth left at the end of February; some teachers insist more have departed. 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. Mendez Middle is a charter school located in Austin, TX, which is in a large city setting. Mendez Middle School may soon be under new leadership as Austin ISD explores ending the partnership that manages the school. 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.. 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. Does Illinois Require Front License Plates on Vehicles? Weve heard so many words from the administration, but we dont see a lot of action, parent Kate Robinson said. Both middle schools have received F grades from the state, and Mendez is currently trying to avoid state takeover because of its rating. To find out where your child will attend, click on the school finder below the feeder pattern. Eric Ramos, a special education teacher at Martin, said he has concerns about the timing of all of this. 5106 Village Square Dr. Austin, TX 78744 Phone: To speak with front office: 512.414.3284. In November, multiple teachers said, about 15 students were involved in simultaneous fights in the hallway. Mendez needs to stay because I am not the only champion in my community. Note: STAAR was cancelled in Spring 2020 due to COVID-19. 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. Its going to take time.. Other kids need the same chances I hadto show that we are not defeated we are strong so tonight, I stand up for Mendez!. Discover short videos related to mendez middle school fights on TikTok. This community shouldnt face the additional fear of their neighborhood school closing, becoming segregated or less reflective of the community.. All rights reserved. In a Facebook Live last week, AISDs chief of schools, Anthony Mays, said this enrollment drop is most dramatic at the sixth-grade level. 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. It is challenging by all means, but its enjoyable every day. 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. 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. KickStart, a national character-building karate program launched at Mendez three years ago, also has added more students. 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. 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. At Mendez, a partnership with the nonprofit Communities in School and UTeach called the T-STEM Coalition, has overseen the school. 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? Questions and concerns: 719.313.7007 Email: mendez@thirdfuture.org. One teacher, considered a leader among her peers, began having panic attacks and started taking anti-anxiety medication. Seven years before Brown v. Board of Education, the Mendez family fought to end segregation in California schools. Im only surprised it didnt happen sooner.. Were here to serve; thats what we do.. Mendez has gotten a, Mendez Middle School in Southeast Austin has failed to meet state standards over the past four years. Student fights broke out starting the second week of school and have continued. Mendez case and her family's fight for equality. At Mendez Middle, 12%. Those who left Mendez departed for personal reasons, medical issues or promotions, she said. You have to try to train them as you yourself are trying to figure it out yourself. 3 Aim to get a blow in as early as possible. After her mother died, Sylvia made it her mission to educate people about her family's fight for desegregation. Test scores are still low, so the district is looking for a new solution to help students improve. How many COVID cases are in local & statewide schools? The transition, though, has been far from a smooth one. Indeed, the Mendez case is seldom taught in schools. The Exit: Teachers Leave. He was brought in at the end of the last school year. The daily classes for students who need additional support academically or behaviorally emphasize intervention, character building and conflict resolution. AISD plans to move sixth grade classes from Martin and Mendez to some elementary schools that feed the two schools. 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. 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. 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. That setting is not a quick-fix setting, Jones said. Consuelo Herrera Mendez, the schools namesake, worked as a teacher for nearly 50 years and was a tireless advocate for Mexican-American rights. 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. 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. There was a lot of optimism over the summer. The Texas Education Agency has Mendez Middle School ontheir radar after four consecutive years of not meeting the states academic standards. Every system youre putting in place, youre trying to figure out the glitches. Consuelo Herrera Mendez, the school's namesake, worked as a teacher for nearly 50 years and was a tireless advocate for Mexican-American rights. It's Going Door To Door To Bring Them Back. Perez said she is having to grasp project-based learning as she teaches it, but she said her students are more engaged. October 3, 2022 January 3, 2022 by americanpost. 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. Mendez Middle School 5106 Village Square Dr., Austin, TX 78744 719.313.7007 + mendez@thirdfuture.org . That same week, a male teacher trying to break up a fight was struck in the head and suffered a concussion. Mendez Middle School is located at 5106 VILLAGE SQ DR, AUSTIN, TX, 78744. Were learning, she said. brandon.thurston@thirdfuture.org Jasmine Torian Assistant Principal Jasmine Torain is Assistant Principle at Mendez Middle School. Carrillo-Rowley says the teacher departures at Mendez aren't more frequent than what she witnessed as the principal at other schools. 4000 S. I-H 35 Frontage Rd., Austin, TX 78704 Some of these kids have not seen success in STAAR their entire academic career, Carrillo-Rowley said. Is a front license plate required in Texas? 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 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 is the only school in the Austin Independent School District in its fifth year of failing the annual state assessment, or STAAR, test. If they made the decision, why couldnt we make a transition plan so its done without harming kids.. The school is part of AUSTIN ISD. Mendez Middle School, serving approximately 600 students in South Austin, aims to provide students with a wealth of opportunities on their path to success. Teachers Mendez Middle School employs 50 teachers, who have been with the school an average of 4 years. 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. Theres more structure with our lesson plans. 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. Each child's exact path is determined by his or her home address. 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. Why so soon? Ramos said. T-STEM leaders said Mendez students would be so engaged in project-based learning that discipline issues would all but disappear. It has 573 students in grades 6-8 with a student-teacher ratio of 11 to 1. Main:512-414-1700, School Report Card & TAPR/AEIS Information. How are you going to guarantee its done with fidelity at all five campuses and [at the middle schools] with such little planning?. 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. Our superintendent is focused on not closing any campuses, Mays said in the Facebook Live last week. Athletic programs include basketball, soccer, tennis, track, football and volleyball. So, Im not understanding what the removal of sixth grade solves in conjunction to achievement and enrollment.. 16 talking about this. Here's What That Could Signal, How Long Is COVID Contagious? 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. . https://scorestream.com/apiJsCdn/widgets/embed.js. Get these cozy, Last-minute tech gifts worth waiting for, according. With that in mind, AISD will work diligently with the Texas Education Agency as well as the school community to keep Mendez open.. 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. The other issue AISD is trying to address is academic performance. She said if students take that option, why would they transfer back to Martin or Mendez in seventh grade? 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. (@j3ss1c4.01), (@jqhnny), Adrian Lopez(@aaadrianlopez), Hms(@hmsslander69), a person right . ACE After-school ProgramBreakfast in the ClassroomCommunities in Schools T-STEM guidelines also require Mendez teachers to stay after school and work some Saturdays to help lagging students catch up. 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. Currently, Dr. Thurston is the principal at Mendez Middle School in Austin, Texas where he is excited to lead intense school improvement efforts. In 2019, the district proposed closing 12 schools that were facing under-enrollment, and ended up closing four of them. Family Resource Center Some say they fear being injured while breaking up fights or fear that innocent students will get caught in other students brawls. 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. Free Breakfast and Lunch for All Students 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. He also said he recognizes the coalitions methods and curriculum might not be a good fit for everyone. She left behind a lasting legacy as the first Latina . Mendez Middle School, serving approximately 900 students in South Austin, aims to provide students with a wealth of opportunities on their path to success. Last week, a female student collapsed after a fight with another student and was carried from the school in an ambulance. 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. We give students experiences and opportunities like nowhere else. That loss means a loss in state funding. 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. Compare Mendez Middle School to Other Schools. 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. 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. It turns out that the Queen of Pop herself talks on camera about her discomfort during a performance . 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. According to state test scores, 12% of students are at least proficient in math and 17% in reading. Unlike Brown v. Board of Education, which is widely known, Mendez v. Westminster is known by few Americans to this day. The change goes into effect this fall. Austin ISD Lost Thousands Of Students During The Pandemic. So this summer, teams are going out to communities to try and get students to re-enroll. Both Martin and Mendez have seen declining enrollment the last few years. Carrillo-Rowley says a review of the content areas they have studied show that Mendez students have made gains. Austin ISD reopened the campus as two single-gender campuses:Bertha Sadler Means and Gus Garcia Middle School. 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. 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. If the campus doesn't improve academics during the 2022-23 school year, or the Texas Education Agency could take over . I mean, literally what Im hearing is kids dont respect the principal and the senior staff., Copyright 2022 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. 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. 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. Eighth-grader Melody Vasquez said she feels that way. 2022-2023 Adopted Budget. UTeach Tutors. There's a Concerning Amount of COVID in Chicago Wastewater Right Now. I tell them they are empowered to make their own.. Instead, the coalition had helped to support organizations working to transform low-performing campuses. 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 MSOffice@dist50.net. But Mays said that is not at all the case here. 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